MANCHESTER, N.H. – Two teams in the Community Advocate coverage area are making waves in American Legion baseball. Shrewsbury Post 397 (state champion) and Hudson Post 100 (state runner-up and Zone 4 champion) are competing in the double-elimination American Legion Northeast Regional Tournament.
The tournament is being played at Gill Stadium in Manchester, N.H., and the winner will compete in the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C., starting August 15.
Here’s the action so far:
August 7: Hudson – 6, Hampden (Maine) – 5
Hudson Post 100 opened the tournament strong on August 7, overcoming Hampden (Maine) to the tune of 6-5. Hudson – known for comeback victories – allowed three runs in the first inning and trailed 3-0 until the end of the game. But, in typical Post 100 fashion, the team rallied back in what became a six-run seventh inning.
Chase Donahue battled on the mound, allowing two hits over six innings. Donahue and Dan DeMirjian jumpstarted the six-run inning with key doubles. Chase Barrett had another double in that inning to score the go-ahead run.
August 7 Shrewsbury – 10, Sweeney (N.H.) – 5
Tedy Cove pitched 5 1/3 innings to help Shrewsbury Post 397 open the tournament victorious. The team defeated tournament host Sweeney, N.H., 10-5 on August 7.
Shrewsbury players registered 10 hits, including five triples. Noah Basgaard (2-4, 2 3B, 3RBIs) and Pearson Dodds (2-3, 3B) led the offense. Jimmy Mitchell scored three runs.
August 8: Hudson – 3, Portsmouth (N.H.) – 2
Hudson matched up against Portsmouth – the New Hampshire champion – in the next round of the tournament, defeating the team 3-2 to advance to the winners’ bracket championship on August 9.
The “comeback kids” from Hudson didn’t need any come-from-behind magic to win this game (the team led from the start), but that doesn’t mean there weren’t heroic performances. Ryan Graf, who was called to the mound in the top of the seventh, got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam to keep Hudson’s one-run lead and secure the win.
“We trust Ryan in any situation,” Head Coach Ryan Bowen said.
Hudson’s three runs came early in the game. Bobby Long Jr. hit a triple and was plunked three times. Chase Barrett hit a 2-RBI single to put Post 100 ahead.
@HudsonPost100 wins its second consecutive game in the American Legion Northeast tournament. The team beat the N.H. champion 3-2 tonight.
Here’s Chase Barrett’s 2-RBI single that put @HudsonPost100 ahead for good! pic.twitter.com/3XNA4GZB6O
— Community Advocate (@CommunityAdNews) August 8, 2024
August 8: Cumberland (R.I.) – 9, Shrewsbury – 2
In a game that was delayed by rain and stretched late into the night, Shrewsbury Post 397 fell to Cumberland, the Rhode Island champion, 9-2. An error and a wild pitch helped Shrewsbury pull ahead 2-0 in the second inning, but Cumberland controlled the game from there. Now, Shrewsbury Post 397 must win the losers’ bracket to advance to the American Legion World Series.
