Defending American Legion World Series champion League City (Tex.) Post 554 moved another step closer to its chance at a historic victory with a solid 4-2 win over Hudson (Mass.) Post 100 in Friday’s opening game at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C.
League City (29-3) has also managed its pitching staff in a way that gives coach Ronnie Oliver options for the future as Post 554 seeks its seventh consecutive ALWS title in history.
“We had a plan today on how we were going to use our pitching,” said Oliver, who used starter Tyler Ryden for four innings and reliever Braden Castle for three innings in Game 5 on Friday. “We were able to get a win and now we’re on to the next game. You have to play them one at a time, you know.”
Ryden made his first start since going 2-0 in two starts in the Western Regional to earn MVP honors.
League City has its destiny in its own hands to advance to the semifinals by taking on the Stars’ division rival and 2022 ALWS champion Troy (Alabama), Post 70, in its final group game on Sunday night at 7 p.m.
Post 554 is attempting to join Oakland (Calif.) Post 337 in 1949–50, Cincinnati Post 50 in 1957–58, West Covina (Calif.) Post 790 in 1970–71, Rio Piedras (PR) Post 146 in 1973–74, Brooklawn (NJ) Post 72 in 2013–14 and Idaho Falls (Idaho) Post 56 in 2019 and 2021 (no season in 2020) as back-to-back ALWS champions.
Matthew Novominsky’s two-out RBI single in the second inning gave League City the lead for good on Friday.
Post 554 scored two more runs on Austin Rawls’ two-out single in the fourth inning. Then, after Hudson pulled within 3-2 in the fifth inning, Reese Brewer’s inning-bottom home run tied the scoring.
Alex Kudler scored the game’s most goals with three, leading League City’s offense with nine goals.
“I have to hand it to the other pitcher,” Oliver said of Hudson’s unlucky Teddy McFarland (5 innings). “He pitched a really good game.”
“But I’m proud of the guys and what they’ve done. I explained the plan to them and we stuck to it and here we are. Now we just need to win one more game and then we’ll be in an even better situation.”
Hudson (29-10) has little chance of advancing in its first ALWS appearance after losing its first two group games to the last two ALWS winners. Ryan Dillon had two hits and an RBI to lead the post-100 offense.
Friday’s loss came on a day when Hudson head coach Ryan Bowen celebrated his 32nd birthday.
“I just told the guys, ‘This is a team that won the state championship last year,'” Bowen said. “So they don’t have to hang their heads.”
“I know the record is 0-2. We just have to keep going, try to get a double and see if some crazy things can happen.”
Hudson will finish its group stage on Saturday at noon with a game against the Billings Scarlets (Mont.) Post 4.
