American Legion Senior baseball tournament gets underway Thursday

The New Hampshire American Legion Senior baseball tournament begins this week, and given its recent history, it would be a surprise if Rochester Post 7 defends its title.

After coming close in previous years, Rochester defeated Nashua to win the 2013 title, its first since 1990. With a 16-2 district record and a 13-game winning streak, Post 7 might be the team to beat and that might just happen.

No team has won back-t0-back titles since Jutras Post 43 did it in 1996-97, and since then, 10 different teams have won the state title. And in recent years, the pre-tournament favorite has failed to live up to expectations, sometimes even bowing out in the first two days.

Here’s a closer look at each of this year’s tournament teams.

No. 4 Bedford Post 54

• Record: 11-7 in District A.
• Last state title: 2011 (also won regional title).
• Run differential: +54
• Record vs. tourney teams: 3-3.

Of the eight tourney teams, Bedford had the highest-scoring offense, with a total of 152 runs this season. Post 54 averaged 12.5 runs in its 11 victories this season, but just 2.6 in its seven loses.

No. 3 Concord Post 21

• Record: 11-7 in District A; won second tiebreaker over Bedford (record vs. tourney teams).
• Last state title: 2012.
• Run differential: +72.
• Record vs. tourney teams: 3-3.

After losing to Bedford on July 10, Concord was 5-6, but won six of its final seven to get into the tourney. That included winning two games on Sunday, knowing that a loss in either would eliminate Post 21.

No. 4 Derry Post 9

• Record: 10-8 in District B.
• Last state title: 1994.
• Run differential: -18.
• Record vs. tourney teams: 0-6.

Derry feasted on the teams below it in the standings, going 10-2 against non-tourney teams. In its six losses to the top three teams in the district, Post 9 was outscored 52-14.

No. 2 Dover Post 8

• Record: 14-4 in District B.
• Last state title: 2000.
• Run differential: +39.
• Record vs. tourney teams: 5-1.

Not only did Dover go 5-1 against the three other tourney teams in its district, it did so by outscoring them 37-15. Despite its success against tourney teams, Post 8 was swept by non-tourney team Nashua. When Post 8 allowed four runs or fewer, it was 12-1.

No. 3 Hudson Post 48

• Record: 11-7 in District B.
• Last state title: 1992.
• Run differential: -5.
• Record vs. tourney teams: 3-3.

After opening the year 2-4, Hudson won eight of its next nine to vault into a playoff spot, and managed to hang on while losing two of three to end the regular season. That included a 23-2 loss to Merrimack on the final day; without that game, Post 48 allowed just 4.6 runs per contest.

No. 1 Lebanon Post 22

• Record: 14-4 in District A; won head-to-head tiebreaker with Sweeney.
• Last state title: NA.
• Run differential: +64.
• Record vs. tourney teams: 4-2.

Lebanon was the last undefeated team in the state, having won its first 12 games of the year, but finished the year 2-4, including two losses on the final day of the regular season. Of the 71 runs Lebanon allowed, 39 came in its four losses.

No. 1 Rochester Post 7

• Record: 16-2 in District B.
• Last state title: 2013.
• Run differential: +55.
• Record vs. tourney teams: 4-2.

Of tourney teams, only Hudson and Dover scored fewer runs this year than Rochester, but Post 7 also allowed the fewest runs per game, giving up 3.1. Rochester hasn’t lost since June 30, winning 13 games in a row to end the season.

No. 2 Sweeney Post 2

• Record: 14-4 in District A.
• Last state title: 2007.
• Run differential: +58.
• Record vs. tourney teams: 3-3.

Sweeney was the first team to clinch a tournament spot, wrapping up its seed after a 5-4, 11-inning win over Milford on July 14. When scoring four or more runs in a game, Sweeney was 12-1; when scoring three or fewer, it was 2-3.

Tournament Schedule

Thursday (Holman Stadium)

• No. 4B Derry Post 9 vs. No. 1A Lebanon Post 22, 9 a.m.
• No. 3B Hudson Post 48 vs. No. 2A Sweeney Post 2, 12 p.m.
• No. 3A Concord Post 21 vs. No. 2B Dover Post 8, 4 p.m.
• No. 4A Bedford Post 54 vs. No. 1B Rochester Post 7, 7 p.m.

Friday

• Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3, 9 a.m.
• Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 4, 12 p.m.
• Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 3, 4 p.m.
• Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 4, 7 p.m.

Saturday

• Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 7, 8 a.m.
• Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 8, 11 a.m.
• Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 2 p.m.

Sunday

• Winner Game 9 vs. Loser Game 11, 4 p.m.
• Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 11, 7 p.m.

Monday

• Winner Game 12 vs. Winner Game 13, 4 p.m.
• If game, 7 p.m.