MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Midland (Mich.) Post 165 thwarted a late rally from Morgantown Post 2 on Friday, sealing a 7-3 victory at Dale Miller Field that leaves the Michigan state champion in the driver’s seat of the American Legion Great Lakes Regional Tournament.
While Post 165 never trailed in the contest en route to improving to 3-0 in the tournament, the victory over the host team wasn’t secure until the game’s final batter.
“It wasn’t over until it was absolutely over,” Post 2 manager Andy Altemus said. “We were one swing away from tying it up. We competed until the end. I thought we fought really, really hard.”
Leading 7-2 to start the bottom of the seventh inning, Midland allowed Morgantown to make it interesting after a hit batsman, walk and single loaded the bases. When Zach Owens singled home Brent Robinson, the tying run was at the plate with no outs.
But Post 165 (36-3) relief pitcher Brody Krzysiak buckled down and got Aaron Forbes to pop out, before inducing a game-ending double play to short off the bat of Tony Marsh.
“They’ve been to the World Series nine times and know what it takes to get there,” Altemus said of Midland. “I think we’re starting to realize that we can play with that. These kids are not overmatched in any way one through nine and really anybody on our roster.”
Midland had its leadoff batter reach in six of seven innings, and it led to a run in each instance.
A pair of Post 2 (15-9) errors in the opening frame allowed Alexander Money to reach and then score, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Marsh’s single in the bottom of the inning plated Owens to tie it at 1.
Money produced his team’s second run on a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but Post 2 responded again quickly and pulled even when Ethan Smith crossed the plate on an error.
A run-scoring single off the bat of Derek Beougher put Post 165 on top for good in the third inning.
Post 2 ran itself into an inning-ending out on the base paths in the third, and after a scoreless fourth, Avain Guillory-Rivera doubled Midland’s lead with an RBI double in the fifth.
“Just youth mistakes and that team is a very good team and they made it hurt,” Altemus said.
Money added an RBI single in the sixth, before Braylen Laverty drove in a run with a single in the seventh. Beougher scored on a wild pitch later that inning for Post 165’s final run.
Dylan Thompson tossed six strong innings to earn the win. He allowed three runs on seven hits, while striking out five and issuing a pair of base-on-balls.
Post 2 starter Zach Harman was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. Harman struck out and walked five.
Each team recorded nine hits. Money, Rivera and Beougher had two apiece in the win, while Owens and Ty Galusky both had two in defeat.
Every team in the tournament has lost except for Midland, which will face Barrington (Ill.) Post 158 at 7 p.m. Saturday. Post 2 plays at 4 p.m. Saturday against Rockport (Ind.) Post 254 in an elimination game.
“It’s a big situation and we’re young,” Altemus said. “But they never quit and I’m proud of them. The situation that we’re in now, we were playing the same team tomorrow regardless. Michigan has to play too. If they lose and it’s a one-game situation on Sunday, you just never know.”
“Just keep going and if we win tomorrow, we’re top 16 in the country and you can’t hate that,” Altemus continued. “I asked them out there — you want to be top eight in the country? Because it’s right there for you.”