TILTON — The start of the summer for the Post 210 Speakers was anything but ideal.
Their first 15 games were played on the road, including tournaments in Troy, Ohio, and Terre Haute, Ind.
They were down to just nine players this weekend because of injuries and vacations.
So, Tuesday’s contest against the up-start Watseka Post 23 was just exactly what the Post 210 Speakers.
Right-hander Cade Schaumburg held Watseka without a hit over five innings as Post 210 cruised to a 15-0 victory.
“We had a little bit of energy tonight and we like to protect the home park,’’ Post 210 manager Brent Hart said. “We still have two guys, Jarrius Atkinson and Deegan Albert trying to recover from hamstring injuries, but for the most part all of our vacations are over after this weekend.’’
Even with a limited roster, the Speakers improved to 11-6 on Wednesday night with a 10-6 victory over Clay County (Ind.).
“When we get our guys healthy and the rotation set, we should be good to go,’’ Hart said. “Tonight was a good get-right game.’’
It was especially a get-right game for Schaumburg, who hadn’t pitched since beating Uttica, Ohio, 13-2 on June 8.
“Our plan was just to stretching him out today, so that we could bring him back on Sunday with regular rest,’’ Hart said.
Between scoring 12 runs in the first innings and Schaumburg simply mowing down the Watseka hitters, allowing just two walks, those plans changed.
“He did a good job of establishing the fastball early and mixing it up after that,’’ Hart said. “At the end of the day, he got a short game no-hitter.’’
Schaumburg admitted that had no idea that he was throwing a no-hitter until the final out was record in the fifth inning.
“I just kept throwing and didn’t think about it. It just happened,’’ said Schaumburg, who threw 69 pitches — 41 for strikes. “It was probably good that I didn’t know. I may have gotten a little nervous in that last inning and messed it up.’’
Did he anticipated going all five innings?
“At first, I didn’t think they were going to let me good deep,’’ he said. “But as the game wore on, they just gave me the whole game.
“It was important for me to have a good result tonight, because I haven’t been on the mound in a while. I know that coach Hart trusted me to win this game.’’
Actually, his biggest problem on Tuesday night was the Post 210 offense.
The Speakers sent 10 batters to the plate in the first, scoring five times. And then in the second, it was 11 batters and they scored seven runs.
“I had to warm up in between innings because we kept scoring runs,’’ Schaumburg said. “I had to keep going to bullpen mound just to keep my arm loose. After the first inning, I was good and warm.’’
Schaumburg wasn’t the only former member of the Westville Tigers with a game game on Tuesday. High school teammates Drew Wichtowski and Zach Russell went 6-for-7 with five RBIs.
In Wednesday’s game, Post 210 found itself trailing Clay County 4-1 in the second inning, but that lead was short-lived for Clay County.
Back-to-back jacks from Wichtowski and Braxton Waller highlighted a six-run second inning for the Speakers, who would add two more in the third on it’s way to 10-6 triump.
Post 210 continues its homestand tonight against Rantoul Post 285. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
BOX SCORES At Gruber Park Tuesday’s game Post 210 Speakers 15, Watseka 0
Watseka 000 00 — 0 0 3
Post 210 570 3x — 15 10 1
WP — Cade Schaumburg. LP — Preston Harrington-Dewitt. Two or more hits — Post 210: Drew Wichtowski 3, Zach Russell 3, Braxton Waller 2. 2B — Post 210: Wichtowski, Russell. RBIs — Post 210: Russell 3, Wichtowski 2, Jameson Remole 2, Waller, Grant Morgan, Gavin Parkerson, Jaydon Riggs, Pedro Rangel IV, Jordan Johnson.
——— Wednesday’s game Post 210 Speakers 10, Clay County (Ind.) 6
Clay County 040 020 0 — 6 4 4
Post 210 162 001 x — 10 8 3
WP — Pedro Rangel IV. LP — Stoelting. Two or more hits — Clay County: Camp. 2B — Clay County: Camp 2, Post 210: Cade Schaumburg. HR — Post 210: Drew Wichtowski, Braxton Waller. RBIs — Clay County: Camp 3, Keller. 2. Post 210: Wichtowski 4, Wallker 3, Schaumburg, Zach Russell, Jordan Johnson.
Record — Post 210 Speakers 11-6 overall.