BILLINGS — The Billings Scarlets are two wins away from a berth in the American Legion baseball World Series.
Thanks to a solid pitching effort from Nolan Berkram and continued offensive production, the Scarlets took care of Anchorage, Alaska, 12-1 in a loser-out game Saturday at Dehler Park to advance to Sunday's championship round.
RELATED: Class A American Legion baseball Northwest Regional scores and pairings
The Scarlets are vying to become the first Region 7 champion from Montana since Billings Post 4 did it in 1962 and advance to the World Series in Shelby, N.C., Aug. 15-20.
Berkram, a right-hander, worked around some threatening moments but was otherwise strong on the mound for the Scarlets. He allowed two hits in five innings, struck out four and walked four.
His only earned run came in the bottom of the first when he issued a bases-loaded walk to Alaska's Kolby Jensen, but that was the extent of the damage. It could have been worse, as Alaska had the bases loaded with nobody out in that inning.
Offensively, Nate McDonald tripled and homered for the Scarlets, who scored in every inning. A four-run fifth helped end the game early due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Kyler Northrop was on base four times, drove in a run and scored on three occassions. Cody Collis, Brady Randall and Jakob Wilcox all had two RBIs for the Scarlets.
The Scarlets have scored 27 runs in their past three games at regionals after suffering a shutout loss to Fort Collins, Colo., in Wednesday's opening round.
Billings will return to the Dehler diamond for another do-or-die game in Sunday at 1 p.m against Eugene, Ore., which defeated Fort Collins 2-1 in eight innings later Saturday to remain unbeaten in the tournament.
The Scarlets will need to beat Eugene twice on Sunday to win the regional championship and clinch a World Series berth.
Below is the updated tournament schedule:
2024 Class AA Northwest Regional tournament
at Pirtz Field and Dehler Park, Billings
Wednesday, Aug. 7
Game 1: Eugene, Ore., 3, Cheyenne, Wyo., 2
Game 2: Anchorage, Alaska, 8, Pocatello, Idaho, 5
Game 3: Bellevue, Wash., 3, Missoula 0
Game 4: Fort Collins, Colo., 1, Billings Scarlets 0
Thursday, Aug. 8
Game 5: Cheyenne, Wyo., 8, Missoula 2, loser out
Game 6: Billings Scarlets 8, Pocatello, Idaho, 0, loser out
Game 7: Eugene, Ore., 9, Bellevue, Wash., 4, second round
Game 8: Anchorage, Alaska, 6, Fort Collins, Colo., 3, second round
Friday, Aug. 9
Game 9: Billings Scarlets 7, Bellevue, Wash., 2, loser out
Game 10: Fort Collins, Colo., 8, Cheyenne, Wyo., 5, loser out
Game 11: Eugene, Ore., 17, Anchorage, Alaska, 7, undefeated semifinal
Saturday, Aug. 10
Game 12: Billings Scarlets 12, Anchorage, Alaska, 1, loser out
Game 13: Eugene, Ore., 2, Fort Collins, Colo., 1 (8 innings), loser out
Sunday, Aug. 11
Game 14: Billings Scarlets vs. Eugene, Ore., 1 p.m., championship
Game 15: Second championship, 4 p.m. (if necessary)
