Broken Bow Post 126 wins on 10-run mercy rule to advance in winner’s bracket.
Catcher Max Denson was the one receiving the championship belt for his individual performance, but it was a team effort that vaulted Broken Bow (Neb.) Post 126 to a 10-0, five-inning win in Game 2 of the Centennial Classic on Friday in Milbank, S.D.
“We came out ready to play, ready to battle,” Broken Bow team manager Jeff Denson said after his team’s win over the host team from Milbank Post 9. “They’re a good quality team, we just happened to have hot bats and we made some plays. As a team it was a good team effort and I’m proud of what they did.”
Broken Bow won the coin toss at Thursday night’s team orientation to be the designated home team for Friday’s game. After Post 126 starter Coy Wardyn pitched a 1-2-3 inning, his teammates backed him up with a three-hit, four-run bottom of the first.
Broken Bow scored in every inning but the third while Wardyn and Kayden Record combined to hold Milbank to one hit.
Max Denson went 3-for-3 with 3 RBIs, Dom Nowak went 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs, and Logan Bell’s single with none out and the bases loaded drove in Xach Lowery for the final run needed to kick in the 10-run mercy rule.
The win sends Broken Bow into a Saturday matchup with Glenwood/Lowry (Minn.) Posts 187/253, which defeated LaMoure (N.D.) Post 19 in Game 1. The two winners will meet in Game 4 at 2:30 p.m. CDT, with the winner of that game advancing to Sunday’s winner-take-all championship game.
LaMoure and Milbank will meet in Game 3 of the double-elimination tournament on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. CDT. All six games will be streamed on The American Legion’s YouTube channel.
Jeff Denson said participating in the Centennial Classic is “really special.”
“It takes me back to when I played Legion Baseball. We’ve really drilled into the boys on how special this opportunity is. I mean, 100 years of Legion Baseball is something to be very, very proud of, and we thank all our Legion folks, and The American Legion for inviting us here and hosting this. It’s an amazing field, we’re so fortunate to be here,” Jeff Denson said.
- Baseball