Championship Game Set for 2024 American Legion World Series

By: Roger Sigmon – Wise News Network

Shelby, NC (WNN) – Semifinal Monday could not have offered more exciting or entertaining baseball action. The opening game will be remembered as one of the hardest fought for years. This battle provided great defense and fabulous pitching. There were only eight combined hits through eight innings of play. In the top of the sixth, Texas was on its way to breaking the 0-0 deadlock. Higgins doubled for the fourth of Texas’ five hits with two outs. This was followed by back-to-back walks issued to Sampson and Smith. Martinez steps to the plate with bases loaded and two outs but grounds out to first, leaving the bases loaded and the score tied at 0-0. By the end of the seventh, Michigan had only mustered two hits and no serious scoring threats. We were headed for the second extra innings game of the series. Fans were having flashbacks to Friday night’s marathon fourteen-inning game.

As the eighth inning got underway, lead-off batter Huang flew out to left field, followed by a strikeout from Brewer. Once again, with two outs, Higgins hit safely, this time a single. A pitch hits Sampson, and suddenly, Texas has something going on again. Smith strikes out, sending us to the bottom of the eight. Michigan had one out in the bottom of the eight when Louch was walked; after Robinson doubled, Texas elected to walk the next batter intentionally, Smith. Walters strikes out for the second out, and it looks like the strategy will pay off for Texas. Nathan Ball had other plans; on the third pitch, he blasted a line drive to center field that scored Louch for a walk-off victory. Dreams of a Texas repeat are dashed with their second shutout in as many games.

Dark clouds began quickly rolling in as the night’s final game between Alabama and Delaware was getting underway. After one out in the bottom of the second, lightning was spotted and the game entered a weather delay. Heavy rain again poured down on the field, prompting the third extended weather delay of the series. The rains were not damping the spirits of the thousand in attendance; however, the announcement that the game would not resume for over two hours sent many fans to the exits. Fans and players found various ways to spend time awaiting the tentative restart time of 10:30 pm. Most people chose to eat, which caused several concession stands to close early due to running out of anything to sell. There would be almost an entire game left to play whenever play would resume, so it became apparent there was a good chance this game would not end until the wee morning hours of Tuesday.

The rains did end, and the grounds crew went to work, swiftly getting the field ready for play, and things were back underway again at exactly 10:30 pm. Before the rain delay, Alabama had left the bases loaded and, in the bottom of the second, had now stranded two more runners. This game was beginning to look eerie, similar to the night’s first game. The boys from Bama would break the 0-0 tie in the bottom of the fourth as Payne Jeffcoat drilled a home run ( fourth of the series and first for Alabama) over the wall in the left-center field. Delaware could only produce two hits, and as the clock was striking midnight, Alabama totaled three additional runs. Cinderella found out the glass slipper did not fit, and Alabama was going to a showdown with Michigan at 7 pm on Tuesday. Michigan will enter the game with a 4-0 record, and Alabama will boast a 3-1 record. This game should be a great matchup.

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