Shrewsbury advances to American Legion World Series Final Four by topping South Carolina

Telegram & Gazette Staff
·4 min read

SHELBY, N.C. — The postseason pop in Zach Amero's bat has powered Shrewsbury Post 397 to its rewarding run at the American Legion World Series.

Amero, a former St. John's High standout from Auburn, delivered the first three runs for Post 397 in its 4-1 elimination-game victory Saturday night over Camden, South Carolina, and Shrewsbury is now two victories from a national championship.

Shrewsbury, which lost its first game Thursday, 13-1, to Troy, Alabama, finished Stars Division pool play 2-1 and clinched a berth in the tournament's semifinals, to be played Monday. So instead of a travel day to return home Sunday, Shrewsbury, winner of seven of eight games since bowing out at the Zone 4 tourney, had a day off before the tourney's final four.

Monday's semifinals (4 and 7 p.m.) and Tuesday's final (7 p.m.) will be televised on ESPNU.

At 7 Monday, Shrewsbury faces Stripes Division winner Idaho Falls, Idaho, the two-time defending champion, after Stars Division top seed Troy takes on Stripes Division runner-up Midland, Michigan, at 4. Troy edged League City, Texas, 4-3, on Sunday to gain the Stars' top seed.

Each semifinalist went 2-1 in pool play.

Right-hander David Siciliano hurled six-plus solid innings Saturday night, scattering seven hits without a walk and striking out two. Closer Ryan Sande came on in the seventh to get the final three outs and the save.

Shrewsbury's Zach Amero celebrates his first-inning home run Saturday night against Camden, South Carolina, at the American Legion World Series.
Shrewsbury's Zach Amero celebrates his first-inning home run Saturday night against Camden, South Carolina, at the American Legion World Series.

Amero, who batted .333 with five RBIs in the Northeast Regionals at Fitton Field, went 2 for 2 Saturday with a two-run homer, RBI double and a walk. In the regionals and World Series combined, the first baseman is batting .400, slugging .700 and has driven in nine runs.

Amero was 2 for 3 with an RBI double in Friday's 3-1 victory over League City.

Siciliano received some fine defense behind him early on. After Southeast Region champion Camden put two on with a bunt for a hit and a single through the right side, Siciliano served up a 6-4-3 double play ball to end the threat.

After the twin killing, Siciliano retired the side in the second and third innings, extending a string of eight consecutive outs over seven hitters.

Shrewsbury's David Siciliano delivers Saturday night during Post 397's win over Camden, South Carolina, at the American Legion World Series.
Shrewsbury's David Siciliano delivers Saturday night during Post 397's win over Camden, South Carolina, at the American Legion World Series.

Like in Friday's win over League City, Texas, Shrewsbury scored a pair of runs in the first inning, courtesy of Amero's two-run homer down the right field line with two out off Camden starter Zane Catoe. A.J. Hamm had singled to right and stolen second before Amero's shot.

And Post 397 kept running in the second. Alex Martin led with a walk and stole second but was stranded there after three consecutive popouts. In the third, Ryan Walton received a leadoff pass but was thrown out trying to steal second by Wynn Ravan.

But after Jimmy Railsback fanned for the second out, Hamm walked, and Amero doubled to right-center, with Hamm coming around for a 3-0 lead.

Shrewsbury Post 397 first baseman Zachary Amero celebrates hitting a home run during Saturday's game.
Shrewsbury Post 397 first baseman Zachary Amero celebrates hitting a home run during Saturday's game.

Shrewsbury threatened again in the fourth, loading the bases with the help of two walks issued by Catoe, but Railsback grounded into a fielder's choice to keep the Post 397 lead at three.

Camden produced three singles while loading the bases in the fifth, but Siciliano induced two fielder's choices to remain unscathed.

Catoe issued his sixth walk of the game to Hamm leading off the Shrewsbury fifth, and was relieved with Amero coming up. Ravan promptly walked Amero, and Hamm took third on a wild pitch. After Pat McManus popped out, Martin bunted for a single to load the bases.

Shrewsbury picked up another run when Chris Pompei reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Hamm, before Andy Gardner hit into a 6-4-3 DP to end the inning.

Camden got on the board in the sixth after Brandon Gibbs and Catoe singled to start the inning. Gibbs came across on a fielder's choice by Banks Munn, but Siciliano had Patrick Daniels fly out to the right-center wall to end the inning.

In the seventh inning, Ravan reached on a fielding error by shortstop Hamm to lead off, and Shrewsbury manager FrankVaccaro turned to Sande in the bullpen.

Max Branham's grounder to first forced pinch runner Riley Ward at second for the first out, but Brent Gibbs then singled to left to bring the tying run to the plate.

Cobe Evans flied to left, then Sande struck out Brandon Gibbs looking to end it.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Shrewsbury advances to American Legion World Series semifinals with 4-1 win over South Carolina