Who Is Post 382?

The scoop: As the teams took the field on the opening day of the Pennsylvania American Legion Region Three at Owen J. Roberts High School, it was for gone conclusion by most that the championship game would feature the likes of defending stat champion Spring City Post 602 or the host Norchester Bulldogs, who had beat Spring City three time in the last 10 days by a combined score of 44-6.

On Monday night, Lower Bucks champion Bristol Post threw a major wrench into the program so to speak, as following a 15-11 win over the Red Sox on Sunday, Bristol laid waste to the Bulldogs 18-4 in a mercy rule shortened game to automatically advance to the championship game on Wednesday.

Bristol starter Zach Phillipi, who allowed seven hits and only two men to reach base, a David Vining single and Bryce Keene walk, after the fifth inning struck out six on his way to the complete game win the men in black and blue, which is what the Bristol bats have made the opposition pitching.

Winners of their last six games, Bristol had been raking the ball all weekend, continued its assault on the five ounce leather sphere by pounding the Bulldogs pitching into submission, forcing Norchester manager Rick Harrison to use three hurlers in the 17 hit barrage.

Third basemen Brian Beyer, who had been unbelievable to say the least, put the final nail in the Norchester coffin with a two-out bomb that disapeared deep into the Pottstown sky for a grand slam, which was the highlight of a five-run fifth inning, giving Post 382 an 8-3 lead.

Player of the game: Post 382 left fielder Dave Blant, who went 4-for-5 with a home run, double, four runs scored and four RB1, set the tone early as he launched a ball over the wall in left center to give Bristol a 3-0 first inning lead, that they would never relinquish.

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Other Key performers: Brian Beyer has been a torrid rampage in the tourney with three doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI and too many highlight-reel plays in the field to mention.  Steve Arthur hit a three run homer on Sunday versus Spring City and has six RBI for the tourney as well. LaSalle University sophomore Mike McLeod had an outstanding effort on the mound on Sunday to lift Bristol over the Red Sox.

Inside the lines: "I love this team," Brian Beyer said. "I love to play ball, it’s what I do. When I am not on the field, I am playing baseball video games and chilling. This has been huge for us, I knew we were capable of playing well, but to beat the state champions and see the talent that is here is awesome."

Say what? "This is a special group of kids," manager Tim Monaghan said. "We had hit the heck out of the ball all year. We knew coming in here that we had beaten a very good team in Yardley to get here. But we did not come here to just be here, we have as good of a chance as anyone to win it all and our pitching has really stepped up when they needed to."

"This is fun, it’s so relaxed," said McLeod. "I came back to play this year because I love playing with these guys. I am totally confident that if we go out and throw strikes our defense will make the plays and our offense can score runs with any one. I am looking forward to getting a chance to play in the state tournament."

Next on the Schedule: Norchester will face Chester County rival Spring City in a win or go home game at 4 p.m. Tuesday, with the winner advancing to Wednesday championship round against either Bristol or Whitpain, who played at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

With a Bristol win on Tuesday, the winner of the early game will have to defeat Post 382 twice on Wednesday to pry the Region trophy from their clutches, ironically the same scenario as last weeks Lower Bucks championship.

If Post 382 falls to Whitpain, the winner of Tuesday’s early game would face Whtipain Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. for the right to play Bristol at 4 p.m. in an all-or-nothing game. 

Extra innings: Bristol allowed opening round opponent and Main Line runner up Wayne to score two first innings runs, it is the only inning in the entire tournament in which Post 382 has trailed, dominating by a 48-20 margin on the scoreboard. Check back with Patch for complete championship game coverage with coaches and players comments, photos and more.

Pennsylvania Region  3 Tournament bracket at Owen J. Roberts High School

GAME 1  SATURDAY JULY 16  9:45AM   Spring City 16  Whitpain 5

GAME 2 SATURDAY JULY 16   1PM         Fort Washington 16 Olney  7

GAME 3 SATURDAY JULY 16   4PM        Bristol 382  15  Wayne 5

GAME 4 SATURDAY JULY 16    7PM        Norchester 13  Narberth 0

GAME 5 SUNDAY JULY 17        9;45AM    Whtipain 14  Wayne  9   (Wayne elminated)

GAME 6 SUNDAY JULY 17        1PM          Olney  12  Narberth 6  (Narberth eliminated)

GAME 7 SUNDAY JULY 17        4PM         Bristol 15  Spring City 11

GAME 8 SUNDAY JULY 17        7PM         Norchester 14  Fort Washington 2

GAME 9 MONDAY JULY 18      12;30PM  Spring City 20  vs Olney 16  (Olney eliminated)

GAME 10 MONDAY JULY 18    4PM         Whitpain 10 Fort Washington 6  (Fort Washington eliminated)

GAME 11 MONDAY JULY 18    7PM         Bristol 18  vs Norchester 4

GAME 12 TUESDAY JULY 19   4PM         WINNER GAME 9 VS LOSER GAME 11

GAME 13 TUESDAY JULY 19   7PM         WINNER GAME 10 VS WINNER GAME 11

GAME 14 WEDNESDAY JULY 20 12;30PM WINNER GAME 12 VS WINNER GAME 13

GAME 15 (IF NECESSARY) WINNER GAME 11 & LOSER GAME 13 OR WINNER GAME 13 VS LOSER GAME 14 (IF FIRST LOSS)

 Previous games

 Sunday July 17

Saturday July 16