Juneau Post 25’s historic season ended on Thursday morning.
Juneau’s American Legion club lost to Lewiston Post 13 in the second day of the American Legion Northwest Regional Tournament in Missoula, Montana.
After sharing the mound with three other pitchers on Thursday, Donavin McCurley went a complete game in a 3-1 loss to Lewiston Post 13.
On Wednesday, Juneau lost to Missoula Post 27, 13-2. Philip Wall, Bobby Cox and Kasey Watts also pitched for Juneau in their first game of the tournament.
McCurley and his surrounding defense held the Idaho team in check for most of the game.
But, said Juneau Post 25 manager Joe Tompkins, there were a few fielding errors the team wishes they could have back.
“There were a couple errors that cost us the game, and you can’t have errors in big games like that,” he said by cellphone.
Juneau scored their only run in the sixth inning as Cox singled Bryce Swofford home.
Lewiston pitcher Kyle Van Boeyn walked five Juneau batters and gave up five hits in seven innings.
The margin of defeat from Wednesday’s game, 11 runs, to Thursday’s, two runs, left Tompkins with a good feeling.
“To come back after getting stomped by Montana … they did exactly what they’ve been taught, to always keep fighting,” Tompkins said. “That’s a great group of boys, seriously, I wouldn’t have changed them for the world. They are a wonderful group of kids.”
The games were played at Allegiance Field, the home of the Missoula Osprey, the minor league affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Tompkins said the Montana hospitality has been first-rate, and said the team is eager to enjoy one extra day of hanging out in the desert.
Juneau Post 25 finishes the 2017 season with 26 wins. Two of their five total losses this season arrived this week at the tournament. Service Post 28 and Dimond Post 21 were the only two American Legion AA Alaska teams to defeat Juneau this season.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
