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Published on 07/13/1998 All articles from this issue

Post 375 pulverizes Pioneer with 31 runs on 25 hits

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By Pete Borello / Town Crier Staff Writer

The score reads like a football game, but these teams were actually playing baseball.

Palo Alto American Legion Post 375 beat Pioneer of San Jose 31-0 July 9 at Baylands Park.

And by doing so, Post 375 may have set a team record. Buzz Smith, who's been keeping stats for Post 375 since 1966, can't recall the team ever winning by a wider margin.

"As far as I can remember, this is the biggest," Smith said. "We've had some good teams, but I don't think any of them had a rout like this."

Post 375 - an under-18 team with players from St. Francis, Gunn, Palo Alto and Homestead highs - teed-off on Pioneer pitching early and often.

The host squad scored a whopping 19 runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Post 375 then added five runs in the second, three in the third and four in the fourth.

Mercifully, the game was called after 4 1/2 innings on the new 10-run rule.

Post 375 wound up with 25 hits. Leading the hit parade were St. Francis teammates Matt Maguire and Mike Melenudo, who came up with four apiece.

Maguire's effort included a triple, two doubles and two RBI. Three of his hits came in the opening inning when Post 375 sent 22 batters to the plate. Melenudo had a double and drove in six runs on the day.

Four other Post 375 players finished with three hits each: St. Francis' Grant Feitchmeir, Gunn's Tyler Sullivan, and Palo Alto's Joe Ginanni and Aaron Saxe.

Sullivan collected a pair of triples, Feitchmeir slugged a home run and Ginanni hit two inside-the-park homers and had eight RBI.

Almost lost in all the offensive fireworks was the fine pitching of Post 375 starter Rob McGregor. The Palo Alto standout threw a two-hit shutout, striking out four and walking one.

The two teams were supposed to play a doubleheader that day, according to Smith, but under-manned Pioneer decided to forfeit the second game to prevent further embarrassment.

Two days later, Post 375 recorded a less exciting 4-2 victory over visiting Menlo Park. Homestead pitcher Tony Plant earned the win.

With the regular season now over, Post 375 takes its impressive 23-8-2 record into the playoffs.

The team opened the American Legion Area 2 Tournament yesterday in Union City against Lafayette. Win or lose, Post 375 plays again Thursday in the double-elimination competition.

The Area 2 Tournament, comprised of eight top Bay Area teams, runs through Sunday. The champion advances to the American Legion California Tournament Aug. 1-7 in Yountville.