A closer look at the eight teams in the ALWS

Two teams from last year’s American Legion World Series (ALWS) are back in the field this year, and they’ll have to contend with each other to start off pool play.

Southeast Region champions Randolph County (N.C.) Post 45 and Great Lakes Region winners Midland (Mich.) Post 165 are both in the Stars Division.

In 2017, Randolph County went 2-1 in pool play to advance to the ALWS semifinals, where they fell 3-1 to Creighton Prep (Neb.) Post 1. Meanwhile, Midland was one of three teams to finish 2-1 in the Stripes Division; a tiebreaker sent eventual series champions Henderson (Nev.) Post 40 on in the tournament. The top two teams in each division advance from pool play, with the respective division winners facing the second-place team from the other division in the semifinals.

The tiebreakers for pool play have been simplified for the 92nd ALWS if three teams finish pool play with identical records. The first tiebreaker is fewest runs allowed overall, the second is most runs scored overall, and the third tiebreaker is a coin flip.

Another change: all games will be seven innings instead of the nine-inning format in years past.

Games get underway Thursday. Here’s a look at each of the eight teams in this year’s ALWS:

STARS DIVISION

Southeast Region — Randolph County (N.C.) Post 45

Record: 29-17

Last ALWS appearance: 2017.

Top regional performers:

• Batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Dawson Painter, .529.

• Runs scored: Painter, 9.

• RBI: (tie) Austin Curry, Bryce Marsh, 6.

• Home runs: (tie) Blake Marsh, Bryce Marsh, Painter, 1.

• Innings pitched: Painter, 9.

• ERA (minimum 5 innings pitched): Bryce Marsh, 0.00.

• Strikeouts: Bryce Marsh, 7.

• Opponents’ batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Painter, .071.

How they got here: A perfect regional run for Randolph County featured both dominant wins — by scores of 8-2, 8-3, and 11-1 — and close ones, including 6-5 and 3-2 victories over Troy (Ala.) Post 70.

Great Lakes Region — Midland (Mich.) Post 165

Record: 44-9

Last ALWS appearance: 2017

Top regional performers:

• Batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Martin Money, .500.

• Runs scored: Money, 8.

• RBI: (tie) Nick Dardas, Money, 4.

• Home runs: None.

• Innings pitched: Garrett Willis, 7.

• ERA (minimum 5 innings pitched): Willis, 0.00.

• Strikeouts: Willis, 9.

• Opponents’ batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Seth Gower, .067.

How they got here: Midland bounced back from a 3-1 loss to Danville (Ill.) Post 210 on Sunday in the regional with a win in the second game of the doubleheader to return to the ALWS.

Northwest Region — Meridian (Idaho) Post 113

Record: 38-16

Last ALWS appearance: First appearance.

Top regional performers:

• Batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Carson Smith, .583.

• Runs scored: Jon Milner, 8.

• RBI: Matthew Reynolds, 9.

• Home runs: None.

• Innings pitched: Jaydon Yancey, 9 1 / 3.

• ERA (minimum 5 innings pitched): Alex Nielebeck, 0.00.

• Strikeouts: Cody Decker, 4.

• Opponents’ batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Yancey, .243.

How they got here: Meridian shut out Yakima Valley (Wash.) Post 36 to complete a perfect regional run.

Western Region — Las Vegas Post 40

Record: 48-14

Last ALWS appearance: First appearance.

Top regional performers:

• Batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Parker Schmidt, .692.

• Runs scored: Schmidt, 9.

• RBI: Chaison Miklich, 7.

• Home runs: Aaron Roberts, 1.

• Innings pitched: Joshua Sharman, 9.

• ERA (minimum 5 innings pitched): Jimmy Gamboa, 0.00.

• Strikeouts: Gamboa, 7.

• Opponents’ batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Colby Smith, .192.

How they got here: After eking out a 3-2 win in the regional opener, Las Vegas cruised, outscoring their final four opponents 38-4.

STRIPES DIVISION

Northeast Region — Braintree (Mass.) Post 86

Record: 24-8

Last ALWS appearance: 1989.

Top regional performers:

• Batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Alex Kennedy, .429.

• Runs scored: (tie) Andrew Donahue, Jackson Duffy, 6.

• RBI: (tie) Justin Adams, Donahue, Cole Flannery, Kennedy, 4.

• Home runs: Duffy, 1.

• Innings pitched: Jack Collins, 6 1 / 3.

• ERA (minimum 5 innings pitched): Kyle Roche, 1.40.

• Strikeouts: Kyle Gray, 8.

• Opponents’ batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): John Tellier, .222.

How they got here: Braintree capped off a perfect regional by cooling off Shrewsbury (Mass.) Post 397, 7-4, after Shrewsbury had scored double-digit runs in each of its regional games.

Mid-Atlantic Region — Wilmington (Del.) Post 1

Record: 34-3

Last ALWS appearance: 1976.

Top regional performers:

• Batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Nate Thomas, .571.

• Runs scored: Jack Dubecq, 6.

• RBI: Thomas, 6.

• Home runs: Dubecq, 2.

• Innings pitched: Chris Ludman, 11 2 /3.

• ERA (minimum 5 innings pitched): Ludman, 0.00.

• Strikeouts: Ludman, 9.

• Opponents’ batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Ludman, .079.

How they got here: The first ALWS participant from Delaware since 1976 rebounded from a 10-9 loss to Souderton (Pa.) Post 234 on Saturday with a 10-0 victory over Leesburg (Va.) Post 34 on Sunday to win the regional.

Mid-South Region — Gonzales (La.) Post 81

Record: 37-4

Last ALWS appearance: 2013.

Top regional performers:

• Batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Zane Zeppuhar, .467.

• Runs scored: Zeppuhar, 7.

• RBI: Reed Babin, 4.

• Home runs: Zeppuhar, 1.

• Innings pitched: Dwain Guice, 12.

• ERA (minimum 5 innings pitched): Austin Bankert, 0.00.

• Strikeouts: Guice, 9.

• Opponents’ batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Guice, .146.

How they got here: Gonzales avenged a loss to Tupelo (Miss.) Post 49, then defeated Bryant (Ark.) Post 298 for the second time in as many days to win the regional.

Central Plains Region — Dubuque County (Iowa) Post 137

Record: 12-3

Last ALWS appearance: First appearance.

Top regional performers:

• Batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Sam Link, .556.

• Runs scored: Link, 10.

• RBI: Joel Vaske, 6.

• Home runs: (tie), Wil Courtney, Vaske, 1.

• Innings pitched: Samuel Goodman, 11 2/3.

• ERA (minimum 5 innings pitched): Goodman, 0.60.

• Strikeouts: Goodman, 12.

• Opponents’ batting average (minimum 10 at-bats): Goodman, .132.

How they got here: Dubuque County defeated West Fargo (N.D.) Post 308 twice on Sunday to win the regional. It’s the first trip to the ALWS for an Iowa team since 1986.

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