ALWS Game 12: Idaho defeats Michigan but both reach semifinals

A three-peat is still possible for Idaho Falls (Idaho) Post 56 after Sunday’s 6-1 win over previously unbeaten Midland (Mich.) Post 165 on Sunday night in the final game of pool play in the American Legion World Series at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C.

Idaho Falls advances as champion of their division and will meet Shrewsbury (Mass.) Post 397 in Monday’s semifinals. Midland will face Troy (Ala.) Post 70 in the other semifinal.

Monday’s winners play in Tuesday’s 7 p.m. championship game.

To keep their title hopes alive, Idaho Falls rallied from an early deficit to post a victory that kept Post 56 from being locked into a three-way tie for second in its division in pool play.

After yielding a first-inning run, the Bandits took the lead for good with a two-run second, then added two more runs in the third and one more in the fourth.

Conner Hall’s two-out, two-run single produced the second inning runs, with back-to-back RBI singles by R.J. Woods and Ryan Horvath accounting for the third inning offense and Elliot Jones’ RBI triple plating the fourth inning run.

The effort helped make a winner of starter Dax Whitney, who finished with seven strikeouts in six innings while yielding three hits, four walks and one run. Reliever Ethan Belnap got the final three outs for Post 56.

Woods (2 hits, 1 RBI), Horvath (2 hits, 1 RBI), Elliot Jones (RBI triple) and Hall (2-run single) led Idaho Falls’ 8-hit offense.

For Midland, Jack Bakus (2 hits, 1 RBI) led Post 165’s 5-hit offense.