Bedford Post 54 won the first ALWS game in post history with a walkoff home run in the seventh inning Saturday night.
Bedford (N.H.) Post 54 picked a good way to go out.
Post 54 won 8-7 over Jacksonville (Fla.) Post 316 on Jason Topf’s walkoff home run in the bottom of the seventh for its first-ever American Legion World Series victory on Saturday in Game 9 at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C.
Bedford and Jacksonville each finished 1-2 in pool play. Midland (Mich.) Post 165 (2-0) plays Portland (Ore.) Post 158 (1-1) on Sunday. Even if Bedford, Jacksonville and Portland all finish 1-2, Bedford is eliminated because they lose the first tiebreaker for a three-way tie, which is total runs allowed.
But that didn’t diminish Post 54’s historic achievement.
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PHOTO 1: Noah Durham of Bedford, N.H., Post 54 warms up. PHOTO 2: Jacksonville, Fla., Post 316 during pre-game ceremonies. PHOTO 3: Bedford, N.H., Post 54 during pre-game ceremonies. PHOTO 4: Tanner Upton of Jacksonville, Fla., Post 316 gets a run. PHOTO 5: Jack Hinton of Bedford, N.H., Post 54 is congratulated by his teammates as he returns to the dugout. PHOTO 6: Zack Gwaltney of Jacksonville, Fla., Post 316 at bat.
“It’s just good to get a win,” said Topf, whose post went 0-2 in its previous ALWS appearance in 2011. “This is the best experience any of us has ever had. Coming out of here with a win is a great way to go out.”
Topf’s heroics came after Jacksonville scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to forge a 7-all tie.
“We just talked about getting on base however we could and having good at-bats,” Topf said. Starter “(Zach) Papik and (reliever and winner James) Gilbert kept us in the game.”
Topf was the leadoff batter and hit the first pitch he saw over the left field fence to set off a celebration near home plate with he and his teammates.
“My pitch is a low inside fastball and I went up to be aggressive and I got that pitch,” said Topf, who had hit two home runs previously this season. “I was just trying to get on base but it got up and got out of here.”
Noah Durham (3 hits, 3 RBIs), Topf (2 hits, home run, 3 RBIs) and Jack Hinton (double, 3 walks) led Bedford’s offense and Papik (5 innings, 5 strikeouts) and Gilbert (2 innings, 2 strikeouts) handled the pitching chores.
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