'This team is truly something special': Hudson Post 100 continues streak of comeback victories

MANCHESTER, N.H. — The cardiac kids?

More like cardiac arrest for Hudson Post 100 manager Ryan Bowen.

For the fourth straight game in the Northeast Regionals, Post 100, undefeated in this double-elimination tournament, came from behind to beat its opponent — with its latest contest a 3-2 victory over West Hartford (Conn.) Post 96 in nine innings.

With the win, Hudson’s second come-from-behind victory in less than seven hours, Post 100 heads to the Legion tournament finals beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, when it gets two chances to secure the title against Cumberland Post 14. But with all these close calls, does Bowen need to have his heart checked by a doctor beforehand?

“Yes, very much so,” the Hudson Post 100 manager said.

“Probably,” Hudson player Bobby Long Jr. said. “Especially if we have another close game.”

Another comeback win for Hudson Legion

Close games have been a theme for Hudson Post 100 the past few weeks.

After coming from behind to beat Belchertown and Hingham in the Legion state tournament at Fitton Field, and pulling off thrilling comeback wins over Hampden Post 213 (Wednesday) and Portsmouth Post 6 (Thursday) in its first two games of the Northeast Regionals, Post 100 again was playing from behind against Cumberland Post 14 on Friday.

Trailing, 3-2, in the top of the seventh inning, Chase Donahue (3 for 5) reached first base on an infield single. Donahue then moved to second on a catcher’s interference, stole third and scored on a Pete Ward groundout to shortstop to tie the game at 3-3.

The rain then started to come down hard in the bottom of the seventh, with a Cumberland runner on first base and no outs, and the game was suspended until the next morning.

Just three pitches into the resumption Saturday, Hudson catcher Ryan Dillon, a Cornell commit , tossed out the Cumberland Post 14 base runner trying to steal second base. Post 100 relief pitcher Michael Atwater then induced a groundout to first base before securing the final out of the inning with a fly to center field. Onto extras.

“I was so hyped,” Atwater said.

“I think that really changed the momentum all around,” Bowen said.

With momentum on their side, Post 100 led off its eighth with a walk from Anthony Moura. With two outs, Chase Barrett (3 for 5) belted a single to right field to move Moura to third base.

Then, like Donahue did an inning earlier, the 19-year-old from Shirley beat out an infield single — this time scoring Moura to hand Hudson a 4-3 lead.

“All you want to do there is put the ball in play,” Donahue said.

“It’s very rare where he doesn’t put the ball in play,” Bowen said. “So it was just a matter of where it was going to go, and if we had enough time to get that run in, and luckily we did.”

Following a leadoff single from Cumberland in the bottom of the eighth, Atwater induced a groundout to Long, the Post 100 third baseman. The 19-year-old from Hudson, who homered earlier in the game, tossed the ball over to Moura at second base for the force out before Moura’s attempt to make a double play at first was just a little late.

But a batter later, Long and Moura connected on a 5-4-3 double play to end the threat and seal the extra-inning win for Hudson Post 100.

“It was big for us,” Long said.

“The second one I knew we had to get the job done,” Moura said.

Déjà vu for Post 100

Less than seven hours after landing a spot in the finals, Hudson returned to the diamond for a game against West Hartford with a chance to secure some breathing room in the double-elimination tournament. If Post 100 won the game, they’d have two shots at claiming the title against the team from Rhode Island.

If they lost, then West Hartford and Cumberland would battle beforehand to force a winner-take-all game Sunday with Hudson. And that latter scenario nearly played itself out.

Until it didn’t.

Trailing, 2-0, in the bottom of the seventh, Donahue again came up clutch for Hudson. He roped a two-run single to right field to tie the game up at 2-2 and force extra innings.

Following a scoreless eighth, Long was hit by pitch in the ninth with one out. He then stole second and scampered to third on an infield single by Barrett. Then, Donahue delivered once more: this time with an RBI single to right field to score Long and set off a wild walk-off celebration for Post 100.

“It was a great game,” Long said.

As teammates swarmed Donahue following his winning hit, the Bromfield High grad shouted out loud: Why not us?

Good question.

This has been a magical summer for Hudson Post 100 that nobody wants to end.

“It’s something we’ve talked about jokingly but there really is something special about this group,” Bowen said. “Their experience and their chemistry gives them a chance any time they’re within striking distance.”

“This day has been something that I truly will never forget,” Donahue said. “I’m very happy to be a part of this group, and I wouldn’t trade (it) for the world.”

Why not the cardiac kids?

With the win over Cumberland and then West Hartford later in the day, Post 100 secured a spot in the Northeast Regional finals. With two cracks at the title under their belt.

Whoever wins the Northeast Regional on Sunday then plays in the American Legion World Series next week in Shelby, North Carolina.

Between keeping up with his team’s evolving schedule and surviving his team’s comeback wins, it has been a hectic week for Bowen in New Hampshire. Anyone have any Tums for the manager?

“I can’t imagine how stressful it has been for him,” Long said.

“We’ve had almost like an endless amount of comebacks,” Bowen said. “I tell them I’d rather them just get ahead and keep a lead, but if we’re gonna win at least make it entertaining, I guess.”

It’s been an entertaining summer, to say the least, for Hudson Post 100. There’s a reason why they’re starting to earn the nickname of the cardiac — or comeback — kids.

“I don’t believe this team can be summed up in a nickname or just one word or sentence,” Donahue said. “This team is truly something special and one that, not just us, but hopefully all of (American Legion Baseball) will remember forever.”

“This group has just come together all year, we’ve found ways to win, even if it wasn’t pretty from the start,” Long said. “We don’t give up, we don’t quit, we have great chemistry, and I’m so glad to be a part of this team.”

—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 'This team is truly something special': Hudson Post 100 continues streak of comeback victories