ALWS Game 11: Nebraska wins 2nd straight to advance to semifinals

Lincoln (Neb.) Post 3 entered its final American Legion World Series game of pool play with the highest of expectations.

Since there was the possibility of a three-way tie based on Sunday’s late result, Lincoln sought to win by shutout because that was the surest way to wrap up a berth in Monday’s semifinals.

And while that's a high bar to reach in the ALWS, Lincoln met that goal with a flourish as Post 3 rolled past Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Post 671, 9-0 on Sunday afternoon to clinch one of the two Stripes division semifinal berths.

Monday’s pairings won’t be determined until after Sunday night’s late game pitting Brooklawn (N.J.) Post 72 against Florence (S.C.) Post 1. The first tiebreaker is head-to-head results (for two teams) or fewest runs allowed (three teams).

One day after Paul Shortridge threw a five-hit shutout for Post 3 in a 3-0 victory over Brooklawn, N.J., Chase Nelson threw another five-hit shutout on Sunday.

“I said Paul saved his best for us yesterday and Chase did the same today,” Lincoln coach Mychal Lanik said. “He had four pitches he could throw whenever he wanted to and threw the ball inside as good as he ever has.”

The efforts of Shortridge and Johnson came after Lincoln lost 3-0 to Florence, S.C., on the opening day of the eight-team tournament.

“We've been in positions like this before,” said Johnson, who struck out six, walked none and needed 93 pitches. “Back in Nebraska in our state tournament, we lost our first game. We came back and won six straight after that.”

Johnson’s outing was made easier when his teammates scored three times in the top of the first inning and added on single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings before scoring their final three runs in the sixth.

“It always helps to have that kind of run support,” Johnson said. “It certainly gave me a lot of confidence heading out there.

“My mindset was to pitch as well as I could knowing that if we put up a zero that we’re in.”

 A.J. Evasco (2 hits, triple, 2 RBIs), Tanner Peterson (2 hits, 1 RBI), Kai Burkey (RBI double) and Garrett Springer (RBI single) led Lincoln’s nine-hit offense.

Cedar Rapids, which finished 0-3 in pool play, got hits from Maddux Freese, Andrew Robinson, Shraden Lechtenberg, Michael Day and Reid Meier.