Bridgeport Post 68 captured the American Legion baseball state championship on Sunday with a 5-2 victory against South Charleston.

 

With the win, Post 68 advances to the Great Lakes Regional which begins Wednesday in Morgantown. Bridgeport will face Rockport, Ind., in the first round at 4:30 p.m. at Dale Miller Field. The regional championship game is scheduled for Sunday and the winner will advance to the Legion World Series Aug. 12-17 in Shelby, N.C.

 

Cole Peschl provided a dominant outing on the mound to secure the state title, allowing just three hits in 6 1-3 innings with 10 strikeouts.

 

State high school player of the year Nate Paulsen homered and had two hits to lead the Post 68 offense.

 

Bridgeport took a 2-0 lead on South Charleston in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI groundout from Ryan Goff and an RBI single from Ben McDougal.

 

Two more runs were added in the second after Drew Hogue singled and came in on an error and Xavier Lopez drew a bases-loaded walk.

 

Paulsen’s solo homer in the fifth made it 5-0 before South Charleston added a pair of late runs.