ALWS Game 11: Delaware beats Louisiana and advances to semifinals

Wilmington Delvets (Del.) Post 1 may make its first appearance in the American Legion World Series this week.

But after Sunday's 3-2 win over Bossier City (La.) Post 202 in Game 11, the Delvets feel right at home at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, NC.

With the win, the Delvets achieved a pool play record of 2-1 and became runners-up in the Stripes Division. They also face the Stars Division champions in a semifinal match on Monday at 7 p.m.

“The whole thing was a 'wow!' factor for us,” said Delvets coach Mike Buono, whose team improved to 23-7. “The city of Shelby, all the volunteers, the event… It's just something you dream about and we're living that dream. And we want to keep living that dream.”

“We really don't care who we play against. We're just going to celebrate this win and get back to it tomorrow.”

To advance to the semifinals, Delvets overcame a 1-0 deficit after three innings and received solid pitching from starter and winner Brady Fox (6 innings, 7 strikeouts) and Jack Rossi (1 inning, 2 strikeouts, save).

“These guys are relentless,” Buono said. “I have them in my foxhole all day, every day. They just keep coming back. They scratch, they claw, they fight.”

After Bossier City scored in the third inning, Michael Smyth hit a leadoff single in the fourth and Tre Villanova reached first base on a hit batter. With two outs, Hunter DiCarlantonio brought Smyth home and a wild pitch brought Villanova home, giving Delvets a 2-1 lead.

Wilmington scored another run in the fifth inning when Smyth hit a two-out double and scored on Villanova's RBI single.

Bossier City scored an unearned run in the fifth before Fox left runners on second and third base.

After Fox left a runner on second base in the sixth inning, Buono brought in Rossi for the final three outs; Rossi struck out two of the three batters facing him to secure the win.

Smyth (2 hits, double) led the Delvets' five-hit offense.

For Bossier City, whose second season after the program's restart ended with an overall record of 23-6 and its first-ever ALWS appearance, Easton Sanders, Griffin Sibley and Jackson Jones had base hits and Sanders (7 innings, 5 strikeouts) was the unlucky one among the losers.