Hudson Post 100 falls to Troy (Ala.) in first game at American Legion World Series

American Legion baseball programs gain postseason experience through successful play in district, state and regional tournaments.

But nothing can replace the seasoning gained by powerhouse Post 70 from Troy, Alabama, in recent American Legion World Series play.

Northeast Regional champion Hudson fell to Troy, 10-1, in Post 100's first game of Stars Division pool play Thursday at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, North Carolina.

All Troy, the three-time reigning Southeast champ, has done in recent postseasons is capture the World Series in 2022 and return to the Legion Elite Eight in Selby in the two years following.

And Friday presents another challenging test. Hudson, in the program's first trip to the Elite Eight, faces defending World Series champion Post 554 from League City, Texas, at 4 p.m. (aired on ESPN3) in the second day of pool play. League City topped Fargo, North Dakota, 7-3, in the opening game of the tournament.

Teddy McFarland will get the start Friday for Hudson.

"We've had a busy schedule all year — it's no different now," Post 100 manager Ryan Bowen told the MetroWest Daily News in a phone interview after the game. "We have to go ahead and flush it and go and win tomorrow. We've got our No. 2 (starter) going and Teddy's going to give us a chance."

Two huge innings haunted Hudson — a four-run first and five-run fourth. Post 100 third baseman Dan DeMirjian went 2 for 2 with a double.

Right-hander Chase Donahue got the start for Post 100. The Northeast Regional MVP entered 7-2 with a 1.96 ERA and 72 strikeouts over 57 innings, and he also batted .400 at the regionals.

Hudson went 5-0 last week to win the regionals in Manchester, New Hampshire, but only after rallying from behind for four one-run wins and another comeback in the final.

Post 100 fell behind again Thursday, after Troy touched up Donahue for four runs in the first inning. Houston Markham led off with a walk, and after Brady Richardson popped out to second, Markham stole second and scored on Cody Walsh's single through the right side.

Walsh, who took second on the throw, scored on Haze McCorkel's double down the right field line. Blake Wynn then singled, and McCorkel came around to score on Matthew Gogan's fielding error in left. One batter after Payne Jeffcoat doubled to right, Wynn scored on Gunner Justice's grounder to shortstop.

Hudson got one run back in the second, after Donahue reached on an error, took third on Dan DeMirjian's single to center and scored on Pete Ward's double-play ball, the second in two innings induced by Troy starter Cole Hewitt.

Troy made it three double plays in three innings, when Bobby Long's 6-4-3 grounder with two on ended the frame. Post 100 mounted a threat in the fourth, when with one out, Donahue singled up the middle and DeMirjian doubled to right. But Ward and Ryan Dillon struck out swinging, around a Gogan walk.

Donahue had settled down, retiring the side in the second and pitching out of a second-and-third jam in the third.

But in the fourth, Troy opened up its lead, starting with a two-run double to center by Richardson, who later scored on a groundout. Two walks loaded the bases for Justice, who delivered a two-run single for a 9-1 lead, the final batter Donahue faced.

"Alabama put in really good at bats," Bowen said. "Not a normal outing for Chase. They put the ball in play when they had to and got the timely hits."

Donahue allowed eight hits and walked six in 3⅔ innings, yielding two doubles and throwing two wild pitches.

After the conclusion of pool play Sunday, the top two teams in the Stars and Stripes advance to Monday's crossover, knockout semifinal round, with the final Tuesday. The semifinals and final will be carried on ESPNU.

Hudson is the first Zone 4 team to advance to the World Series since 2022, when Shrewsbury Post 397 made it to the semifinals. Shrewsbury also played in the Series in 2017 and 2019.

In Stripes Division pool play, Midland, Michigan, blanked Fargo, North Dakota, 3-0. Wilmington, Delaware, defeated Billings, Montana, 6-1, in the final opening day matchup.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Hudson Post 100 falls to Troy (Ala.) in first game at American Legion World Series