Sports
St. Peters Hitter Leaving His Mark In Legion Action
Eric Keling is hitting .350 this summer for St. Peters Post 313.
Performing steadily day in and day out is a key component of any successful athletic career.
And the St. Peters Post 313 American Legion baseball team has benefited from the steady hitting of St. Peters resident Eric Keling. This summer, Kelling is sporting a robust .350 batting average.
“It’s just about swinging at the right pitches,” Keling said. “It was a problem for me for awhile, but I really stepped it up this year in the high school season and swung at the right pitches.”
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During the high school season Keling hit .453 on a baseball team that compiled a 21-9 record and won the Gateway Athletic North Conference. In addition, he also earned all-conference honors for his outstanding season.
Keling said his years in high school baseball taught him how to swing at the “hitter’s pitch and not the pitcher’s pitch.” He also said he acquired a taste for hitting the fastball during the high school season.
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A diverse player, Keling plays first base for Post 313, but played both pitcher and catcher for the Zumwalt East Lions. He said moving to a different position was “different.” Keling had never played legion ball until this year, as he played summer ball with the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Association.
“I came in not really knowing a lot of guys, but they taught me what legion is all about,” he said.
Post 313 suffered a 6-5 loss to the Central Spartans . Keling walked in the first inning, flied out in the third and fifth, and singled in the eighth. After the game Post 313 Manager Marty Clemets gave credit to Keling for being the team’s only steady hitter.
Keling will continue his career next year at Maryville University, a Division II school in St. Louis.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he said. “I’ve always dreamed of playing college ball. The coach told me I can have a catching spot over there. I’m very excited.”
The St. Peters resident started playing baseball when he was 3-years-old and has no intentions of giving it up after four years of college.
“I want to use this as a springboard,” he said. “I hope to continue as a professional after this.”