Exeter grad leads Post 32 in American Legion state tournament opener against Weare

NASHUA – Jack Dever helped the Exeter High School baseball team win a Division I state championship in June. 

Now, the recent high school graduate is trying to lead the Exeter Post 32 baseball team to a New Hampshire Senior American Legion title. 

At the plate, Dever went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs, and on the mound, he allowed just one hit over three scoreless innings as Post 32 opened the state tournament with an 8-2 win over Weare Post 65 on Friday, July 25 at historic Holman Stadium. 

“I love the guys we have on this team,” said Dever, who will be taking his skills to Saint Anselm College in the fall. “It’s a fun group.” 

Exeter, the District B No. 3 seed, will now face District B top seed Nasua Coffey Post 3, on Saturday, July 26. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Holman. Nashua advanced with an 11-0, five-inning win over Lebanon, the District A No. 4 seed. 

Nashua beat Exeter twice during the regular season. 

“It’s going to be a battle,” Exeter head coach Tim Mitropoulous said. “They’re a very good hitting team. We’ll have to come ready to play. We’ll have to pitch well and play good defense. They can whack it around as they showed (Friday) morning. It will be fun.” 

Exeter takes lead in the fourth; Dever delivers

After stranding a runner on second base in each of the first three innings, Exeter threatened again in the fourth and finally got the timely two-out hit it needed in the fourth.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Dever's wo-run single up the middle scored Ben Wissler (fielder’s choice) and Cam Cromby (single) and gave Exeter a 3-2 lead.

Dever came through two more times. His double to the right-center field fence gave Post 32 a 4-2 lead in the sixth, and he added an RBI single down the third base line in the seventh. 

“I was happy I got a chance to do that,” Dever said. “I’ve been struggling in those (clutch) situations this year.” 

Gallant goes first four for Exeter; Dever pitches final three

Dever replaced Exeter starter Nate Gallant in the fifth and set Weare down in order on a flyout to center, a strikeout looking and a pop-up to shortstop Brady McGovern in shallow left. It was the first time either team had gone down in order in the game. 

Dever allowed just one hit and struck out three over his three innings of work.  

“He’s the leader of this group,” Mitropoulos said. “He’s our best player. He carries us, he leads us in many ways on and off the field. He does it all, and he showed that today. I am  happy he’s on our team.” 

Gallant allowed two runs on three hits in the first inning, but settled in and threw three scoreless innings after that. 

“(Gallant) battled, and found a rhythm,” Mitropoulos said. “He settled in nicely which was good to see.” 

Offensive stars

Gallant and Brady McGovern both had two hits for Exeter, while Cam Crombie, Ben Wissler and Collin McGovern all had one. 

Back in the win column

It had been four years since Exeter Post 32 won a game in the state baseball tournament. Exeter lost both of its games last summer after not making the tournament the previous two years.

"This win is huge," Dever said. "We knew coming in that we hadn't won in awhile. This makes us feel good. Hopefully, we can keep it going, we know we have a good team coming up."

Both teams score in first inning

Exeter got to Weare starter Hayden Pond for one run on two hits in the first inning. Gallant laced a two-out double to right field and scored on Shea LaFleur’s double to left.  

Weare answered in its half and took the lead with two runs. Leadoff batter Michael Dykstra beat out an infield hit to third, stole second, and scored on Ryder Brown’s one-out single to right. Andrew Hutton followed with an RBI single to left, scoring Aidan Thomas, who drew a walk. 

Gallant got a shutdown inning in the fourth, working around a leadoff walk. Gallant, who graduated from Epping in June, got a comebacker to the mound and struck out the final two batters to end the inning. 

Exeter adds to lead in sixth, plates four in seventh

Cam Morrill beat out an infield hit on a slow roller to third and scored all the way from first on Dever’s double to the right-center field fence, giving Post 32 a 4-2 lead.

Exeter scored four runs on three hits in the seventh on RBIs from Morrill (sacrifice fly), Dever (single) and Gallant (single).

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exeter grad leads Post 32 in legion baseball state tourney opener