A tournament of twists and turns
The recent American Legion Baseball state tournament unfolded on the campus of Adrian College, drawing a handful of Michigan post teams into a multi‑day battle for supremacy.
Opening round matchups saw Bay City Post 18 shut out Big Rapids Post 98 4‑0, while Linwood Post 239 edged Adrian Post 275 9‑4, setting the tone for competitive play.
Berryhill Post 165 surged through the Winners’ Bracket, dispatching Linwood 11‑2 to reach the semifinals, where they faced Bay City again and fell 2‑0, sending the series to the losers’ bracket.
In the losers’ bracket, Blissfield Post 325 posted a dominant 12‑0 win over Adrian, and later edged Big Rapids 7‑6 in a tight semifinal, while Bay City advanced past Blissfield 3‑2.
The Winners’ Bracket final pitted Bay City against Berryhill, with Bay City taking a 2‑0 lead, but Berryhill rallied in the losers’ bracket final to defeat Blissfield 9‑3, earning a rematch.
The championship game opened with Bay City striking first, but Berryhill answered with a 4‑1 victory to claim the title. The teams met again in an if‑necessary contest, where Berryhill secured a 4‑3 win to cement the championship.