Lebanon — The White River Junction Post 84 junior baseball team’s defense suspected what was coming, but Cedric Elkouh’s bunt was so perfect there was nothing it could do.

With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, the score tied and Post 84 coaches calling to their infielders to watch for a Lebanon Post 22 squeeze, Elkouh delivered just that, dropping the ball onto the grass down the third base side Saturday at Lebanon High.

Racing home was Eric Jaynes, whose successful dash broke the deadlock and propelled the hosts to an eventual 8-1 victory over their New Hampshire District A, Division I rivals.

Post 22 not only leads the division at 8-1, but has the district’s best overall record, with Division II leader Jutras Post 43 (6-2) its closest pursuer in that respect.

“I think over the next couple years you could see this become a rivalry,” said Post 22 coach Travis Pelletier, whose side won the teams’ first meeting, on Thursday, by a 17-3 score. “They’re right next door and it’s fun to play teams like that.”

Jaynes had a single and a double and five other teammates each had a hit apiece. Seanon May started on the mound and went four innings for the hosts, allowing no hits and a run while striking out three batters and walking six.

Duncan Frazer got the ball for Post 84, going six innings and allowing one hit and one run through five innings but six hits and seven runs during the sixth frame.

Post 84’s two hits came from Nick Cameron and Walker Farley, but coach Mat Pause was upbeat. The Hartford-White River Junction area has not fielded a junior Legion team in recent years.

“I told the guys after the game that the score didn’t (reflect) how we played,” Pause said. “I thought we had lot better at-bats today and made some plays in the field. That sixth inning got away really quickly, which was unfortunate, but Duncan pitched well and made them put it in play.”

“I wanted to let him have a pitch to hit and he ripped one foul,” Pelletier said of Elkouh. “After that, well, we really hadn’t had many chances to score. The way we bunt I thought it would be a good decision. They executed and getting that run was big.”

The next batter was Elkouh’s brother, Emrys, and he also squared around. However, Frazer adapted and hurled the ball well outside, allowing catcher Ryland Richardson to catch it and charge up the third-base line to tag pinch-runner Jaret Armstrong.

“I got overaggressive on that one and probably out-coached myself a little bit,” Pelletier said. “I was maybe trying to fool them by going back-to-back bunts. But the kids picked me up by getting some big hits.

“The first bunt was a momentum changer and our guys didn’t let the second (attempt) faze them. I was really kicking myself getting an out like that.”

Emrys Elkouh eventually singled and Henry Boutin walked and Aris Rassias singled to keep momentum going. A May single and a Kyle Hammond double knocked out Frazer. His starting counterpart didn’t last as long, but still came in for praise.

“May battled, although he never really got ahead of anybody,” Pelletier said. “His pitch count skyrocketed real fast, but he didn’t let that bother him. He wasn’t the sharpest he’s been, but he gave us four innings of effort, which is important.”

Lebanon won its fourth game in as many days and has shown pitching depth during its hot streak. Jaynes, May, Griffin, Kyle Pelletier and Cedric Elkouh have been sharp, and Boutin and Hadlock can also hurl if necessary.

“Right now we have such a deep roster, and the way we’ve been playing, everyone’s been getting their chances and shining when they need to,” Travis Pelletier said. “Hopefully we can keep it rolling along.”

Pause said that although his team is 1-6, progress has been evident for an extremely young roster. Post 84 is producing more quality at-bats, seeing more pitches and becoming less jittery at the plate. Bunting, hitting to move runners over and baserunning have all been areas of improvement.

“A lot of our kids hadn’t swung a wood bat before,” Pause said, noting that Vermont’s senior Legion teams will make the move away from composite bats next season. “It’s good experience for them to have and it will make them better hitters in the long run.”

Post 84 hosts Milford on Tuesday at Hartford High.

Notes: Pause said he’s in the running to become a Colby-Sawyer College assistant, where he would work with longtime Chargers coach Jim Broughton, father of Post 22 senior player Caleb Broughton. … Post 22 junior player Charlie Goodrich, a Hanover High student from Norwich, left the game and needed five stitches to close a cut on his right eyebrow. The wound happened during dugout horseplay involving a bat, but Goodrich was in good spirits upon his return to the field after the game. … Ethen Perkins, a recent Lebanon High graduate and the older brother of Post 22 Legion senior player Nate Perkins, plans to attend Plymouth State University and play football for the Panthers in the fall. … Taking in the senior game that followed the junior game was former Lebanon High player Jake Woodward, son of senior coach Rob Woodward. Jake Woodward, who played Division I baseball at St. John’s (N.Y.) University, is an apprentice electrical lineman after attending school in Georgia for that trade last year.

Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com or 603-727-3227.

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