Midland Post 165 rallies to remain unbeaten heading into the final game of pool play.
Midland (Mich.) Post 165 cleanup batter Jayden Mieske had never bunted this season.
He certainly made his first attempt one to remember.
With Midland trailing Jacksonville (Fla.) Post 316 in the bottom of the sixth inning of Friday’s American Legion World Series Game 6, Mieske bunted so well it was the only hit his team had in its 5-4 victory at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C.
“I’ve never seen five runs scored on one hit — and the hit being a bunt,” veteran Midland coach Dan Cronkright said.
Mieske’s bunt loaded the bases and set up a game-winning rally that puts Post 165 in a strong position to advance to Monday’s semifinals.
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PHOTO 1: Jacksonville, Fla., Post 316 stands at attention during the national anthem. PHOTO 2: Midland, Mich., Berryhill Post 165 stands at attention during the national anthem. PHOTO 3: Pitcher Ethan Polce of Jacksonville, Fla., Post 316. PHOTO 4: Cayden Nieto of Midland, Mich., Berryhill Post 165 walks into the dugout. PHOTO 5: Gehrig Severidt of Jacksonville, Fla., Post 316 at bat. PHOTO 6: Pitcher Aryan Punjabi of Midland, Mich., Berryhill Post 165. Photos by Chet Strange
Before Mieske’s sixth-inning plate appearance, he and Cronkright discussed strategy.
“I told him, ‘Where do you want it? Third or first?’” said Mieske, one of three Midland players who played on its 2024 ALWS runner-up team. “So I got the bunt down as best I could and it worked out.”
Did it ever.
Facing a Jacksonville team that would slug two doubles (the latter being a foot shy of a home run) and a home run, Midland mastered the art of manufacturing runs in this contest.
In the second inning, Post 165 used two walks and two errors to score twice to tie the score at 2.
Then in the critical sixth, Mieske’s bunt that broke up Jacksonville’s bid to have the first combined no-hitter in ALWS history came after two straight walks got the winning rally started.
An error allowed the tying run to score, another walk forced in the lead run and a wild pitch made it 5-3 later in the inning.
“They had some really good arms,” Cronkright said of Jacksonville starter Ethan Polce and reliever Gabe Gerhardt. “Now, they had some problems with control at times, and we took advantage.
“I really work hard with hitters on getting a good pitch. So we want to go up there with an approach and understand what you’re looking for.”
Jacksonville nearly reclaimed the lead in the top of the seventh before reliever and winner Cuyler Smith wriggled out of a jam and enjoyed more good fortune.
Bryson Harnage led off the frame with a single to left field, advanced to second on a wild pitch then was held up at third when Gehrig Severidt’s long drive to right field hit one foot shy of a tying two-run home run.
Harnage eventually scored on a wild pitch that also moved Severidt to third with one out.
Against a drawn-in infield, Mason Jones first slugged what appeared a potential game-tying sacrifice fly before it twisted foul into the right field bullpen. He later hit a line drive smash that Midland shortstop Taber Edwards-Benner snagged.
After a walk, Smith got a strikeout to end the contest.
“It’s all just glory to God,” Mieske said. “We got lucky there at the end when it tailed foul.”
Severidt (2 hits, double), Jones (home run) and Tommy Glasspoole (double, 1 RBI) led Jacksonville’s seven-hit offense while Smith went 4 1/3 innings with five strikeouts to pick up the win in relief for Post 165.
The win moves Midland to 2-0 in the Stars Division in pool play, while Jacksonville and Portland (Ore.) Post 158 are each 1-1, and Bedford (N.H.) Post 54 is 0-2. The top two finishers in each division — “Stars” and “Stripes” — will advance to Monday’s semifinals after each team plays three games in pool play.
Next for Jacksonville (29-2): 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday vs. Bedford (N.H.) Post 54.
Next for Midland (31-5): 4 p.m. ET Sunday vs. Portland (Ore.) Post 158.
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