Head coach Jordan Meadows had one main goal for the Beckley Post 32 Top Prospects this year – make the American Legion State Tournament.
That quest begins in earnest Thursday night when the Area 3 American Legion Baseball Tournament starts at St. Albans High School.
The four-team double elimination tournament includes No. 2 seed South Charleston Post 94, No. 3 seed Charleston Post 65, along with No. 4 seed Winfield Post 187.
Top-seeded Beckley and Winfield will battle at 5:30 p.m. with South Charleston and Charleston clashing in game two.
Post 32 has won all four games against Winfield and Charleston, while the Beckley boys have split the four meetings with South Charleston.
“It is a great thing to be the one-seed because it means we will be the home team the whole time. You want to be in the driver’s seat and have that last at-bat if you need to,” Meadows said after the season finale Friday. “Home team is always great and you also see the No. 4 seed instead of the three-seed.”
Prior to the season opener, Meadows was under the impression that only the winner of the Area 3 Tournament advanced to the State Tournament in Martinsburg.
“I didn’t know the top two teams in the Area (Tournament) made it to states. Now that I know that, obviously it is a better chance for us,” Meadows said. “I didn’t tell any of the guys that until (last Friday). I wanted them to play as if we needed to be the No. 1 seed.”
Mixing players from all across southern West Virginia, Post 32 definitely played with a purpose winning its first 13 games on the way to a 25-5 record.
“My goal was to compete with South Charleston. When I used to play and when (assistant coach) Kendrick (Epling) played, (South Charleston) Post 94 was the best of the best,” Meadows said. “It has been super exciting to coach, but I really didn’t expect this.”
The biggest factor in the success run so far this season has been Beckley’s ability to score runs and score in bunches.
“I have access to some stats on GameChanger that you all don’t see and we lead the state in runs scored by probably 50 or 60. It has been insane,” Meadows said.
Former Shady Spring all-stater Jake Meadows has been the catalyst hitting out of the lead-off position. Meadows is hitting .472 with a .570 on-base percentage and has scored a team best 41 runs over the in 26 games he has played.
“I am a lead-off at heart and it doesn’t change no matter what jersey I wear,” Jake Meadows said. “We have the best talent in the area. If I can get on, I am going to have hitters behind me. I am going to score a lot.”
Reece Patterson has been the biggest benefactor of the speed in front of him driving in 38 runs to lead Post 32.
Brayden Kiblinger has been another strong asset hitting all through the line-up. The former Independence standout is hitting .414 with a .539 on base percentage, scoring 29 times.
Cole “16 ton” Brown has been one of the hottest hitters late in the season hitting .382, while Adam Richmond is batting .429 with 29 RBI.
Bryson Redmond and Peyton DeHaven give Beckley more team speed in the outfield and on the base paths.
Brown, Gavin Bennett and Gabe Patton have been the stalwarts on the mound, but Post 32 has also received quality work from Meadows, Kiblinger and Isaiah Patterson as well.
“It will be the main guys that you have seen all year,” Meadows said about his postseason line-up. “It will depend on who we play and who we pitch first. Cole has been our most consistent, but we have Gabe and we have Gavin, along with Jake and Kibby. We are excited to be in this position.”
