WORCESTER — Bedford Post 54 of New Hampshire is headed to the American Legion Baseball World Series after sweeping Essex Junction, Vermont in the Northeast Regional Championship Round, winning 10-1 in the opener before completing the title run with a 12-3 victory in the winner-take-all championship game at Fitton Field on Sunday.
Bedford finished the tournament with just 1 loss after losing to Essex, VT on Saturday, causing the championship round to be 2 games. Bedford punched its ticket to the American Legion World Series in Shelby, North Carolina, which begins Thursday, August 13.
Bedford Claims First Championship Game, 10-1
After Essex Junction entered the championship round undefeated, Bedford forced the decisive game by earning a convincing 10-1 victory in the opening contest.
Bedford broke open a scoreless game with two runs in the third before erupting for six more in the fourth inning to seize control.
Carter Stuart drove the offense with three hits and four RBIs, while Demetrios Hunt went 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Noah Durham added a hit, a triple and two RBIs, and James Gilbert finished with a hit, two runs scored and an RBI. Brayden Hickman also contributed a hit and an RBI.
On the mound, Zach Papik delivered another dominant performance, allowing just one run on three hits over six innings while striking out nine. Jayden DeNauw closed out the final inning to secure the victory.
Essex Junction’s lone run came in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Owen Labor, but Bedford’s offense proved too much to overcome.
Bedford Finishes the Job in Winner-Take-All Finale
With the regional championship on the line, Bedford wasted little time taking command of the decisive game.
Post 54 scored twice in the opening inning before Essex answered with three runs in the bottom half to briefly take a 3-2 lead. Bedford responded immediately with three runs in the third, added another in the fourth, two more in the fifth and capped the afternoon with four runs in the seventh to pull away for a 12-3 victory.
James Gilbert turned in a spectacular championship performance, going 4-for-5 with five RBIs, including a two-run double in the first inning that opened the scoring. Jaiden Bousquet also came through in key moments, collecting three hits and driving in four runs.
Noah Durham added two hits and an RBI, while Jason Topf contributed two runs scored and an RBI. Jack Hinton scored twice as Bedford once again showcased the balanced offense that carried it through the tournament.
Durham also earned the victory on the mound, pitching six innings while allowing three runs on two hits. He struck out five before turning the ball over to Bousquet, who finished off the final inning.
Essex Junction received RBIs from Nico Caiano and Owen Labor and scored three first-inning runs, but Bedford’s relentless offense answered immediately and never looked back.
World Series Bound
Bedford’s championship caps an outstanding Northeast Regional, where the New Hampshire champions defeated previously unbeaten Franklin, Massachusetts, host Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Cumberland, R.I., and ultimately Essex Junction twice to claim the regional crown.
Now 26-1 on the season, Bedford Post 54 will represent the Northeast Region at the 2026 American Legion Baseball World Series in Shelby, North Carolina, with tournament play beginning Thursday, August 13.
