Tennessee Team Takes Legion World Series Crown
August 28, 2007
Columbia, Tenn., jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the first three innings and never looked back, capping a 57-11 season with an 11-4 victory over Eden Prairie, Minn., to win The American Legion Baseball World Series Championship Aug. 28 in Bartlesville, Okla.
Left-fielder Holden Killen slammed a two-run homer in the third inning, and third baseman Chris Lovett added a solo shot in the fourth for the Tennessee team.
Eden Prairie battled its way through the tournament bracket, recovering from an 11-10 loss to Boyertown, Pa., and handed Columbia its only defeat in the series, 8-5, in the semi-finals. The Minnesota team then had to win once more, against Tucson, to earn a berth in the title game. Eden Prairie finished the season with a 45-11 record, 8-2 in tournament play. Columbia also went 8-2 in the post-season, having avenged a regional loss to Puerto Rico with a 13-5 victory that earned the team a trip to Bartlesville.
Lovett hit .442 with four home runs and 19 RBI to lead Columbia in tournament play. Scott Beasley pitched 25 innings en route to a 5-0 record and an earned-run average of .72 in the postseason. He pitched five innings of one-hit ball to close out the championship game against Minnesota.
Eden Prairie’s Danny Miller hit .513 in 10 tournament games, including regionals, and was 3-0 in 24 innings of work on the mound, before he was named most valuable player of the tournament.
Game Results
The American Legion World Series
Bartlesville, Okla.
Aug. 24-28
Aug. 24: Branford, Conn., 13, Bellingham, Wash., 12; Eden Prairie, Minn., 19, Tucson, Ariz., 6; Columbia, Tenn., 7, Rockport, Ind., 4
Aug. 25: Boyertown, Pa., 5, Bryant, Ark., 3; Bellingham, Wash., 17, Rockport, Ind., 8; Tucson, Ariz., 6, Bryant, Ark., 1; Columbia, Tenn., 9, Branford, Conn., 8; Boyertown, Pa., 11, Eden Prairie, Minn., 10
Aug. 26: Tucson, Ariz., 17, Branford, Conn., 6; Eden Prairie, Minn., 7, Bellingham, Wash., 3; Columbia, Tenn., 16, Boyertown, Pa., 5
Aug. 27: Tucson, Ariz., 13, Boyertown, Pa., 6; Eden Prairie, Minn., 8, Columbia, Tenn., 5
Aug. 28: Eden Prairie, Minn., 8, Tucson, Ariz., 3; Columbia, Tenn. 11, Eden Prairie, Minn., 4
Individual Awards
James F. Daniel Jr. Sportsmanship Award: Holden Killen, Columbia, Tenn.
Jack Williams Memorial Leadership Award: Joel Kercado, Eddie Allred, Chris Ivie
Louisville Slugger Award: Kevin Hussey, Tucson, Ariz., .533 average, 5 home runs, 19 RBI
Bob Feller Pitching Award: Aaron Davidson, Bryant, Ark., 31 strikeouts, 23.2 innings, 1.52 ERA
Dr. Irvin “Click” Cowger RBI Award: Aaron Tapia, Tucson, Ariz., 22 RBI
Rawlings Big Stick Award: Marc Damon, Tucson, Ariz., 46 total bases, 9 home runs, .333 average,
American Legion World Series
All-Tournament Team
P - Danny Miller, Eden Prairie, Minn.
P - Chris Moon, Tucson, Ariz.
P - Scott Beasley, Columbia, Tenn.
1B - Aaron Tapia, Tucson, Ariz.
2B - Alan Kennedy, Bellingham, Wash.
3B - Chris Lovett, Columbia, Tenn.
SS - Mike Olt, Branford, Conn.
C - Cody Pomeroy, Columbia, Tenn.
OF - J.T. Canakes, Eden Prairie, Minn.
OF - Holden Killen, Columbia, Tenn.
OF - James Balzano, Branford, Conn.
DH - Marc Damon, Tucson, Ariz.
MVP - Danny Miller, Eden Prairie, Minn.