ALABAMA WINS AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL WORLD SERIES

Finally, for the first time in 55 years, Alabama is home to an American Legion World Series baseball champion after Troy Post 70 edged two-time defending champion Idaho Falls Post 56, 6-5, in Shelby, N.C., joining Tuscaloosa’s 1967 team as the only ALWS champion from Bama.

“I don’t really know how I feel,” said Troy head coach Ross Hixon, whose club was making its initial appearance in the title game and wound up the remarkable campaign with a 32-6 overall record. “It will be something I’ll always remember and the team will always remember, and I’ll rewatch this game when my heart allows. Right now, my heart’s still beating hard.”

Winding up with a 32-6 overall record, it was Troy’s third-straight come-from-behind win in the American Legion World Series. In the quarterfinals, it trailed Texas’ Post 70 554 League City, 3-0, in the sixth inning before rallying to win 4-3 and advance to the semifinals. There, Troy again overcame a 3-0 deficit after the top of the first and caught Midland Michigan Post 165, 5-3.

In the final, Troy had a 5-0 gap to overcome after two frames and was down to its final out in the top of the seventh and being behind 5-3, when Idaho Falls starting pitcher Merit Jones walked lead-off batter Darryl Lee and Brooks Bryan followed with a single. After an out, Jones was relieved after making his pitch count limit of 105.

Post 70 Troy greeted the new hurler with Sheldon Arroyo’s RBI single to close to with 5-4. Tanner Taylor then drove in Bryan with the tying run and Arroyo scored the game-winner on a wild pitch. Then Troy had to shut down Idaho Falls in its final at bat. The Bandits filled the bases with one out before Troy reliever Press Jefcoat struck out the last two batters to deny Idaho (42-11) being the first one to win three championships in a row, and then came the gala celebration.