Danville Post 210 had more runs than hits in a crucial victory over Albuquerque, N.M., Post 13.
Danville, Ill., Post 210 rebounded from a loss on Thursday to even its record by topping Albuquerque, N.M., Post 13 on Friday.
Danville capitalized on mistakes and took free bases to earn the 13-2 win.
The first five Danville batters reached base with a pair of walks and a pair of close plays at first resulting in errors made the game 1-0. Logan Spicer ripped a single off the mound and into centerfield to bring home two. After a sacrifice bunt, Lucas Hofer hit a single and brought home one, but Seth Casias and Javier Almager gunned out the trailing runner at the plate. A few more free bases led to another run being forced when Ernest Plummer was hit by a pitch. Plummer, who walked later in the game, reached base in 15 consecutive plate appearances dating back to regionals before that streak ended in the fifth.
Albuquerque got two back in the bottom of the frame when Damien Roddy hit a double and Benito Garcia hit a homer to left to make it 5-2.
Those were the last runs that Ryan Drayer would allow as the right-hander would allow as he went the distance for Danville, allowing just the pair of runs on six hits.
“I just calmed down and tried to hit my spots and hit the corners and my offspeed was working,” Drayer said.
In the third, Drayer got some insurance from Jake Stipp, who pulled a ball got over the right field wall for a solo shot.
In the fifth, Danville added again to their lead. After loading the bases Chase Rademacher was a few feet away from a grand slam but settled for a sacrifice fly and Chase Vinson followed with an RBI single. Danville added two more on an error.
Kotah Broeker drove in two more in the seventh and came around on an error to make the final margin 13-2 after six innings per the American Legion Baseball 10-run rule.
“Today it was a completely different team,” Broeker said. “The energy was so much different in the dugout today. Our dugout has helped us win many games this season. It is amazing to be here. It is a great experience and being the first Post 210 to win a game here is even bigger.”
“It’s awesome to be in Shelby. I am really proud of my teammates and everything we’ve been able to do to get here,” Drayer said.
With the win, Danville moves to 1-1 in the Stripes pool, while Albuquerque fell to 0-2.
Albuquerque, which is the first team to ever make the American Legion World Series from the state of New Mexico, will hope to get in the win column on Saturday night against Louisiana at 7:30 p.m. Danville will face Missouri on Sunday at 1 p.m., in their pool play finale.
The top two teams in each of the four-team pools will advance to the semifinals on Monday.
- Baseball