Dubuque County bounced back from an opening day loss to defeat Idaho on Saturday.
Dubuque County, Iowa, has been in the national baseball spotlight the last few days.
That could grow even brighter if the Post 137 American Legion Baseball team continues the momentum it gained in Saturday's 10-2 win over defending American Legion World Series champion Idaho Falls, Idaho, Post 56.
"We had to win and see what we can do tomorrow and try to get to Monday," Dubuque County coach Ronnie Kramer said after ace right-hander Aaron Savary struck out eight Idaho Falls batters in 6 2-3 innings.
Dubuque County had lost 8-4 on Thursday in its ALWS opener to Beverly, Mass. That contest was played a few hours before the Chicago White Sox defeated the New York Yankees in a Major League Baseball "Field of Dreams" contest in a cornfield in the Dubuque County town of Dyersville, Iowa.
After pitching a complete game in Sunday's 3-1 Mid-South Regional championship game win over Cabot, Ark., Savary was unable to pitch in Dubuque County's Thursday game.
And Savary, who just completed his junior year at Wahlert Catholic and has committed to play at the University of Iowa, continued his national tournament dominance with a 106-pitch effort against the 2019 ALWS champions.
Idaho Falls got eight hits, three walks and two hit batters off Savary. But Dubuque County's defense negated Post 56's running game by throwing out three baserunners.
In the third inning, Savary picked off a runner at first base for the first out and Dubuque County snuffed out a double steal attempt when shortstop Cole Smith's throw to catcher Raymond Schlosser took care of another for the third out.
In the fourth inning, Schlosser cut down the front end of a double steal at third for the first out.
"They're a really good hitting team," Savary said of Idaho Falls, which went 5-0 in the 2019 ALWS and had won its 2021 opener on Thursday. "We were able to get on the board early which was big for us.
"But I knew they were a good enough hitting team to come back. I just had to compete on every pitch."
A wild pitch and Michael Garrett's sacrifice fly gave Dubuque County a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning
Idaho Falls got within 2-1 on a double play groundout in the bottom of the second.
After cutting down Idaho Falls' scoring threats in the third and fourth innings, Dubuque County took control of the game with four in the fifth inning, one in the sixth and three in the seventh.
Tucker Nauman's two-run single and Smith's RBI single accounted for the fifth inning runs, Gavin Guns' sacrifice fly tallied the sixth inning score and a wild pitch, Guns' RBI double and Tucker Nauman's RBI single were the sixth inning runs.
Tucker Nauman (three hits, three RBIs), Sawyer Nauman (two hits) and Guns (two hits, two RBIs) led the Dubuque County offense.
"Coming in, we knew we had to get a win today against the defending champion," Savary said. "It was really big for us to win this and stay alive."
Kramer said Savary's presence on the mound was big for his team that improved to 14-1 on the season.
"He works hard and stays focused," Kramer said of Savary. "He's that guy that when he's pitching, everybody's really focused and know we're going to do well."
Nate Rose and Kai Howell had two hits apiece to lead Idaho Falls (42-10).
Dubuque County is slated to conclude its pool play schedule on Sunday at 1 p.m. against Midland, Mich. Idaho Falls will face Beverly, Mass., in the final game of pool play, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
Following Saturday's first game, Dubuque and Idaho Falls were 1-1 in the Stripes Division and Beverly, Mass., was 1-0 and Midland 0-1 entering their Saturday evening game.
Should three teams tie with 2-1 or 1-2 records, the tiebreaker is runs allowed. If that doesn't break the tie, runs scored is used. And if neither breaks the tie, a coin flip is used.
The top two teams in the Stars Division and Stripes Division meet in Monday's semifinals with the championship game scheduled for Tuesday.
- Baseball