Legion teams enter stretch run

By rbrown
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Updated: July 8, 2024

There’s less than a week remaining in the regular season for American Legion Baseball’s Senior Division, and most of the state’s 11 Senior Division teams can still improve their position in the standings. Each of the 11 teams still has a chance to qualify for the state tournament.

This year’s double-elimination state tourney will include eight teams — four from District A and four from District B — and will be held July 19-23 at Nashua’s Holman Stadium.

Here’s what’s at stake for those 11 teams with regard to seeding for the postseason:

DISTRICT A

NOTE: Distict A teams play 17 regular season games.

Lebanon (9-0)
Laconia (8-4)
Bedford (6-6)
Keene (5-7)
Sweeney Post (4-10)
Concord (3-8)

— Lebanon is the lone unbeaten team in the state and looks like a safe bet to be the No. 1 seed from District A, but has a grueling finish with doubleheaders on Monday (at Laconia), Tuesday (at Keene) and Saturday (vs. Concord). Lebanon also plays at Bedford on Thursday and at Concord on Friday. Eight games in five days will test any pitching staff.

— Laconia is in good position to finish with the No. 2 seed since it won two of three regular season games against Bedford and owns that tiebreaker. All bets are off if Laconia loses both ends of Monday’s doubleheader against Lebanon, however.

— In addition to Thursday’s matchup with Lebanon, Bedford has two remaining games against Concord and two remaining with Manchester’s Sweeney Post. It’s a favorable schedule and likely means Bedford will earn the No. 2 or No. 3 seed.

— Of the three other District A teams, Keene is in the best position to earn the No. 4 seed and the final tournament berth from that district. Keene’s path isn’t easy, though. Four of the team’s final five games are against Lebanon and Laconia.

— Sweeney has three games left — two against Bedford and one with Keene — and may have to win all three to qualify. Either way, Sweeney’s season isn’t over since it will host the Northeast Regional and the host team receives an automatic berth for that tournament.

— Three of Concord’s final six games are against Lebanon, although two of those are at the end of Lebanon’s stretch of eight games in five days. Concord will play a doubleheader against Bedford on Tuesday and will face Laconia on Wednesday. There’s a scenario in which Concord could qualify with two more victories, but it’s more likely that Concord will need at least three wins (and possibly four) to extend its season.

DISTRICT B

NOTE: Distict B teams play 16 regular season games.

Portsmouth (12-1)
Nashua (5-4)
Salem (6-6)
Exeter (4-6)
Rochester (1-11)

Portsmouth has secured the No. 1 seed from District B since it holds the tiebreaker against Nashua.

Nashua has qualifed for the tournament and is in the best position to earn the No. 2 seed, but still has to play Portsmouth once, Salem twice and doubleheaders against Exeter (Monday), Rochester (Tuesday).

Salem has also qualified and can be seeded as high as No. 2 or as low as No. 4. Tuesday’s game between Salem and Exeter (at Phillips Exeter Academy) will go a long way toward determining the No. 4 seed.

Exeter needs two wins to secure a tournament berth, but can still finish as high as No. 2 since it has beaten Nashua and Portsmouth — victories that will help in tiebreakers. Exeter’s final week includes a doubleheader against Nashua on Monday, a home game against Salem on Tuesday, a doubleheader at Rochester on Thursday and a home game against Portsmouth on Friday.

Rochester has four games to play — two against Nashua and two against Exeter — and will need at least three wins (likely four) to remain in playoff contention. Rochester will be eliminated if it loses both ends of Tuesday’s doubleheader against Nashua.

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