Carpetland/Lincoln East became the first Nebraska team since 1939 to win the American Legion World Series with a 9-6 win over Portland, Ore., Tuesday in Shelby, N.C. The Rugs are the first Nebraska team to win American Legion’s top baseball prize since McDevitts (Omaha Creighton Prep) in 1939.
Portland built a 4-0 lead through 1.5 innings and led 6-1 going to the bottom of the third. But in that frame, Jackson Makovicka clubbed a three-run home run to center, cutting Portland’s lead to 6-4. Then in the fourth, Bradyn Erickson singled in a run, pulling Carpetland (55-7) to within one. Cade Anderson followed with a three-run home run to left, giving the Rugs an 8-6 advantage. Dele Odulate tripled to left in the fifth, driving in an insurance run to push Lincoln East’s lead to three.
A dominant relief performance from Greyson Bjorkman made it stand up, as he allowed just two runs (one earned) while throwing the final 5.1 innings of the game. He surrendered four hits and pitched around six walks while striking out four. But his biggest play might have been a pickoff. In the top of the sixth, Portland trailed by three, but Gabriel Coltman drew a walk to load the bases, bringing Cal Gradwahl to the plate representing the go-ahead run. As Coltman led away from first, Bjorkman spun and threw a strike to the bag, picking off Coltman to end the inning and turn away the threat.
In the seventh inning, with a runner at first and two outs, Bjorkman struck out Cooper Berta looking to clinch the title for Carpetland.