Josh Taylor now occupies a unique niche in the storied history of Festus American Legion baseball.
The first-year manager of Post 253’s freshman (A) ballclub led the team to the state championship July 19 at Cape Girardeau Central High, with Festus edging hometown Post 63 2-1. Taylor played for manager Pat Bone when Festus won the senior (AAA) state championship in 2005. That makes Taylor the first person in Post 253 history to win state crowns as both a player and manager.
Festus scratched out a run in each of the first two innings and brothers Jack and Oliver Klump and Kolton Adams made them hold up on the mound. Jack was the starter and went six innings, scattering eight hits with three walks and five strikeouts. He gave up the lone run by Cape (15-16). Post 253 finished 27-16.
“It was very tense,” Taylor said. “We knew Cape was very good. We had played them twice in the regular season (a 7-3 loss May 17 and a 10-9 victory June 6) and we knew they’d throw out their ace (Zach Dowdy) and he did a good job. Jack Klump pitched a heck of a game.”
Jack Klump led off the bottom of the first inning getting hit by a pitch. He stole second and scored on Sam Kerley’s single. Dowdy walked Oliver Klump with one out but escaped further damage with a groundout and flyout. Post 63 failed to score in the second frame despite nicking Jack Klump for a double and a single.
Dowdy got into trouble fast in the bottom of the second when Carter ljames led off with a single, Landon Mercer walked and Cameron Hofmeister’s RBI fielder’s choice plated ljames for a 2-0 lead.
Jack Klump slithered through the Cape third unscathed after allowing two singles. Dowdy answered in the bottom half, retiring Post 253 in order on nine pitches.
“We had everything going our way,” Taylor said. “We were hoping for more than two runs because we started hitting Zach, who was doing what any coach would want from his pitcher – put the ball in play and let your defense work. We couldn’t find the gaps.”
Cape scored its run in the fifth. With one out, Jack Klump gave up a double, then after a hit batter, allowed an RBI single to make it 2-1.
Dowdy went the distance, yielding three hits and fanning five. He shut down Festus in order in the fifth, but with one out in the sixth, Adams reached on an error and ljames drew a walk. But the Post 63 defense snuffed out the rally with a double play.
Oliver Klump replaced his brother on the mound in the seventh and walked the first two batters. Adams came on in relief and got three straight flyouts to end the game and earn the biggest save of his young career.
“Jack was pitching a great game,” Taylor said. “He made them put the ball in play and didn’t do anything too risky. His pitch count got too high. It was very tense in the last inning and Kolton came in and got the last three outs.”
The title win capped five victories in five days as Festus overcame Jackson (Post 158) 12-3, defending state champion Washington (Post 218) 6-3, Cape Girardeau 9-6 and Fike Post 499 (Blue Springs) 5-3.
In the win over Fike, ljames pitched a complete game, giving up 10 hits and striking out five. Kerley walked three times, had a hit, scored a run and drove one in. Jack Klump was three-for-four with a run scored.
“The whole week the pitching staff was phenomenal,” Taylor said. “Carter ljames came through against Jackson and Fike and was wonderful both days. Jack Klump made three appearances on the mound and started in the final. Jayden Grass pitched a hell of a tournament. We had a great performance out of our catcher, Parker Taylor (the manager’s son) who was a wall back there. He threw out several runners.”
Many if not all of this year’s freshmen state champs will move up to the Festus junior (AA) team in 2025.
“We started the season with 13 kids and one had to have knee surgery before the season, and a player had to have a pacemaker replaced,” Taylor said. “At one point we were playing games with nine kids. But we got everyone healthy and had 11 kids for state.
“This group has been playing travel ball for a few years. We didn’t want them wandering off. Keeping them together was fun.”