Games for the 2021 American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C., begin Thursday, Aug. 12.
Here's a look at the 2021 American Legion World Series eight teams, game schedule and how to watch.
Stars: Central Plains (Fargo, N.D.), Mid-Atlantic (Ridge St. Mary's, Md.), Southeast (Tupelo, Miss.), Western (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Stripes: Great Lakes (Midland Berryhill, Mich.), Mid-South (Dubuque County, Iowa), Northeast (Beverly, Mass.), Northwest (Idaho Falls, Idaho)
THE TEAMS
Region 1 Northeast: Beverly, Mass., Post 331 How they got here: Went 4-1 in winning the regional by a cumulative 33-18 score. First ALWS appearance after first Massachusetts state championship. In his only at-bat of the regional, Brayden Clark hit a walk-off RBI double in 6-5, 8-inning win over Newport, R.I., in title game. Lee Pacheco was Beverly's top hitter (seven of 12 with four RBIs) in the regional. Beverly's appearance means Massachusetts has sent teams to four straight ALWS; Shrewsbury went in 2017 and 2019 and Braintree in 2018.
Region 2 Mid-Atlantic: Ridge St. Mary's, Md., Post 255 How they got here: Went 5-0 in winning the regional by a cumulative 30-16 score. First ALWS appearance after first Maryland state championship. Ridge St. Mary's rallied from 6-4 deficit in bottom of seventh to win 7-6 over Fuquay-Varina, N.C., in winner's bracket final, then beat Fuquay-Varina again 8-1 in the regional title game. Demetri Jamison was a top regional hitter (seven of 17 with four RBIs) and went seven of 11 in the final three games. Ridge St. Mary's is Maryland's first ALWS team since 2009 (Mt. Airy).
Region 3 Southeastern: Tupelo, Miss., Post 49 How they got here: Went 5-1 in winning the regional by a cumulative 59-39 score. Second ALWS appearance after finishing as runner-up in 2011. To win the regional, Tupelo had to win two of three games against Florence, S.C., despite trailing in all three games. Jackson McCoy was a top regional hitter (12 of 26 with eight RBIs, two doubles and one home run). Davis Oswalt was the winning pitcher in both wins over Florence and he yielded seven hits, five unearned runs and seven strikeouts in 8 2-3 innings.
Region 4 Mid-South: Dubuque County, Iowa, Post 137 How they got here: Went 5-0 in winning the regional by a cumulative 37-21 score. Second ALWS appearance after going 1-2 in 2018. When Dubuque County made that ALWS appearance, it was the first Iowa team to advance that far since 1986. Sawyer Nauman was a top regional hitter (eight of 16 with two RBIs and one double). Pitcher Aaron Savary went 2-0 in the regionals with 17 strikeouts in 12 innings.
Region 5 Great Lakes: Midland Berryhill, Mich., Post 165 How they got here: Went 5-0 in winning the regional by a cumulative 45-7 score. It’s their 10th ALWS appearance and fifth in seven years. The most runs scored off Midland pitching in the regional came when it beat host Morgantown, W.Va., 7-3 in the winner's bracket final; Midland beat Morgantown 10-1 in the championship game. Logan McCoy was a top regional hitter (eight of 20 with four RBIs). Pitcher Max Coughlin won two games in the regionals with eight strikeouts and one run allowed in 10 2-3 innings.
Region 6 Central Plains: Fargo, N.D., Post 400 How they got here: Went 4-1 in winning the regional by a cumulative 23-19 score. First ALWS appearance. Kobe Senn was a top regional hitter (nine of 15 with one RBI and one double). Fargo's lone regional loss came when Post 400 knew it was assured of a sport in the title game. Colten Alme went six of 16 hitting and pitched a six-hitter in a 11-1, 6-inning complete game win over Hopkins, Minn., in the regional championship game.
Region 7 Northwest: Idaho Falls, Idaho, Post 56 How they got here: Went 5-0 in winning the regional by a cumulative 34-18 score. Second straight ALWS appearance and is defending champion having beaten Fargo, N.D., 5-3 for the 2019 title. It was Idaho's first ALWS title in state history. Kai Howell is the lone returning player from that team. Nate Rose was a two-way regional standout, going seven of 16 hitting while combining on a second-round no-hitter with Bradley Thompson and Davin Luce and pitching a five-hitter in the 9-3 regional championship game over Helena, Mont.
Region 8 Western: Honolulu, Hawaii, Team Central How they got here: Went 5-0 in winning the regional by a cumulative 20-12 score. First ALWS appearance. Ty Yukumato (eight of 14), Anthony Arecchi (seven of 16) and Erik Bell (six of 14) were top regional hitters. Team Central has become the fifth ALWS team - joining 1980 champion Honolulu, 1995 champion Aiea, Kailua and Waipahu - and the first since Waipahu in 2015.
SCHEDULE
Thursday, Aug. 12
10 a.m.: Fargo (N.D.) Post 400 vs. Honolulu, Haw., ESPN3
1 p.m.: Dubuque County, Iowa vs. Beverly (Mass.) Post 331, ESPN3
4 p.m.: Midland (Mich.) Berryhill Post 165 vs. Idaho Falls (Idaho) Post 56, ESPN3
7:30 p.m.: Tupelo (Miss.) 49ers vs. Ridge (Md.) St. Mary’s Post 255, ESPN3
Friday, Aug. 13
4 p.m.: Fargo (N.D.) Post 400 vs. Tupelo (Miss.) 49ers, ESPN3
7 p.m.: Ridge (Md.) St. Mary’s Post 255 vs. Honolulu, Haw., ESPN3
Saturday, Aug. 14
1 p.m.: Dubuque County, Iowa vs. Idaho Falls (Idaho) Post 56, ESPN3
4 p.m.: Midland (Mich.) Berryhill Post 165 vs. Beverly (Mass.) Post 331, ESPN3
7:30 p.m.: Tupelo (Miss.) 49ers vs. Honolulu, Haw., ESPN3
Sunday, Aug. 15
1 p.m.: Dubuque County, Iowa vs. Midland (Mich.) Berryhill Post 165, ESPN3
4 p.m.: Ridge (Md.) St. Mary’s Post 255 vs. Fargo (N.D.) Post 400, ESPN3
7:30 p.m.: Beverly (Mass.) Post 331 vs. Idaho Falls (Idaho) Post 56, ESPN3
Monday, Aug. 16
4 p.m.: Stars division winner vs. Stripes division runner-up, ESPNU
7 p.m.: Stripes division winner vs. Stars division runner-up, ESPNU
Tuesday, Aug. 17
6:30 p.m.: Championship game, ESPNU
LEGION WORLD SERIES APP
The American Legion World Series app gives iPhone or Android users the chance to follow the best of American Legion Baseball right from their phone. The app, available through the Apple Store and Google Play, provides regional and World Series schedules, pairings, scores, stats, photos and weather, as well as news and headlines.
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