2023 champions League City Post 554 defeats Bossier City (La.) Post 202 to return to ALWS title game.
After rolling to a 12-7 win over Bossier City (La.) Post 202 in Monday's second semifinal game at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C., League City (Tex.) Post 554 will seek a second American Legion World Series title in three years.
League City, whose 2023 ALWS title was Texas' first in history, meets Chesapeake (Va.) Post 280 at 7 p.m. Tuesday in a championship game that will be nationally televised by ESPNU.
“We knew we were facing a tough team in Bossier City,” League City head coach Ronnie Oliver said. “And we knew we’d have to play well to win.
“Kudos to my pitchers. Both of them did their jobs. And we hit the ball pretty well.”
After stranding two runners on base in the bottom of the first inning, Post 554 scored one in the second, two in the third, four in the fourth, two in the fifth and three in the sixth.
Ronald Rouse (3 hits, 2 RBIs), Jarret Williams (3 hits, double), Noah Paulson (2 hits, double, home run, 1 RBI) and Tyler Sauers (2 hits, double, 1 RBI) led a 14-hit offense that also benefitted from three walks, one hit batter and two Bossier City fielding errors.
Starter and winner James Lewis (5 innings, 5 strikeouts) and reliever Matthew Halter (2 innings, 3 strikeouts) yielded 11 hits and three walks.
“I’m glad to be back in the championship game and we'll see what we can do tomorrow night,” said Oliver, a 39-year Legion coach. “I'm so proud of these kids. This is such a close-knit family right now. It's a joy to coach them.”
Bossier City, which finished 25-5, was led by Hudson Brignac (4 hits, double, home run, 2 RBIs) and Case Jorden (2 hits, triple, 1 RBI).
- Baseball