At the same time Nansemond River’s varsity baseball team was playing in a state tournament quarterfinal game up in Northern Virginia on Tuesday evening, younger Warrior ballplayers were at work back on the Warrior baseball diamond.

So were some Cavaliers, Bulldogs, Saints and Chargers, all as part of Nansemond Post 88’s junior division American Legion baseball squad as the Indians faced Norfolk’s Post 327 Tuesday.

There would’ve been more pitches, cuts and grounders Friday evening at Nansemond River until Mother Nature beat both the Indians and Post 280 Greenbrier Christian Academy with a severe thunderstorm a couple innings into the game.

Nansemond Post 88 won the junior division state championship two summers ago in its first year fielding a team.

Most of those Indians led Nansemond River to its historic season this spring, a campaign ending with NR’s first Southeastern District Tournament crown and first regional berth and state berth since NR’s move from Group AA into Group AAA in 1996. A few more of the 2009 Indians are now playing school ball for First Baptist as the Crusaders went 11-3 this spring.

A good portion of the ‘09 state champs could still be playing junior division (17-and-under) this Legion season if they chose to but are on Post 88’s senior division (19-and-under) team instead, understandably for the better competition.

This makes more space and playing time for the 18 players on the junior team, with some additional recruits from Lakeland, King’s Fork, Nansemond-Suffolk and Isle of Wight. The junior Indians are coached by Jim Hare, Robert Hedrick and Gilbert Fitzwater.

Friday’s washout left the Indians’ record at 1-1 with the bulk of the season left to play. The American Legion junior state tournament’s set for July 20-24 in Glen Allen.

The senior season is underway, but not for Post 88, as Nansemond’s been able to postpone its first four games while its large Warrior contingent kept advancing through the postseason until Tuesday. The senior schedule could run as long as Aug. 19-23 and the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C.

The summer includes an all-star break for both divisions with a player showcase on Saturday, June 25 at Great Bridge and junior and senior All-Star Games on Sunday, June 26 at Norfolk State.

Nansemond Post 88

American Legion Baseball – Junior division Schedule

– Home games in CAPS. Home games are at Nansemond River HS. All games at 6 p.m. unless noted.

June

Tues. 14 POST 204 FIRST COLONIAL

Fri. 17 at Post 280 Chesapeake

Sat. 18 at Post 60 Maury (11 a.m.)

Mon. 20 at Post 327 Lakewood Park

Thurs. 24 at Post 310 Churchland

Sun. 26 All-Star Game at Norfolk St. (1 p.m.)

Wed. 29 POST 280 CHESAPEAKE

July

Fri. 1 at Post 204 First Colonial

Tues. 5 POST 288 CURRITUCK

Wed. 6 POST 60 MAURY

9-14 District Tournament

20-24 American Legion State Tournament

Senior division

Schedule

– Without four games still to be rescheduled

June

Mon. 13 at Post 280 Greenbrier Christian

Wed. 15 at Post 280 Oscar Smith

Mon. 20 at Post 280 Greenbrier

Tues. 21 at Post 204 First Colonial

Sun. 26 All-Star Game at Norfolk St. (4 p.m.)

Mon. 27 at Post 280 Greenbrier

Tues. 28 at Post 280 Greenbrier Christian

Thurs. 30 POST 280 OSCAR SMITH

July

Fri. 1 POST 60 MAURY

Tues. 5 at Post 60 Maury

Thurs. 7 POST 204 FIRST COLONIAL

Fri. 8 POST 280 CHESAPEAKE

Mon. 11 POST 280 GREENBRIER CHRISTIAN

Tues. 12 POST 280 OSCAR SMITH

Thurs. 14 POST 280 GREENBRIER

16-21 District Tournament at Nansemond River