Post 25 All-Stars Show Out in American Legion Highlight Game

Post 25's Christian Ludeman, Brock McCormick and Olin Rawson represented Juneau in the Alaska American Legion All-Star game at Anchorage's Mulcahy Stadium on Tuesday. (Klas Stolpe / KINY)

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Juneau Post 25 players Christian Ludeman, Brock McCormick and Olin Rawson had strong showings in Tuesday’s American Legion All-Star Game at Anchorage’s Mulcahy Stadium.

  According to Alaska Legion Baseball media and Post 25 coaches, the three Juneau representatives did well. 

  Brock McCormick noted that only three players were chosen from Juneau and three from Ketchikan, all of whom represented well as the American Division defeated the National Division 13-6.

  “Southeast baseball is underrated compared to the teams up North and that was shown in the all-star game,” McCormick wrote in a message to KINY. “It was fun to be on the other side of the Anchorage teams we played against. It was great getting to know each of these players and their unique personalities. It was a lot of fun and I’m very exited for the state tournament coming ahead here shortly.”

  McCormick played his traditional position behind the plate for three innings and was 1-1 with a single.

  Ludeman played his first base position the entire game. He was 2-3 at the plate with a double and a three-run home run and totaled five runs batted in.

  "I think it shows that Southeast players come ready to play," Ludeman wrote in a text message. "Most of the Southeast players that played got hits or made good plays in the field. The ball I put over felt good. I knew he was going to give me a curveball later in the count because he threw a curve the first pitch and I swing and missed. So I was just waiting for him to give it again and once I saw it I just went for it."

  Post 25 co-coach Joe Tompkins commented on Ludeman's hits.

  “He had that long shot to straight away center, the deepest part of the field at 400 feet and it carried only 398,” Tompkins said of Ludeman’s double. “Then he hit a three run dinger over the left field fence that went 375 and you knew it was out as soon as he hit it.”

  Rawson played three innings in the outfield and provided solid coverage. He also pitched one inning.

  “Brock and Christian’s selection on the all-star team shows that Southeast baseball should not be overlooked,” Olin Rawson said. “It shows that Southeast comes ready to compete and win. The All-Star game felt like it had a good balance of competition and fun.”

  McCormick, Ludeman and Rawson joined American Division selections from South Post 4 - Reid Brock, Kellen Curtis, Isaac Johnson and Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year Dylan Maltby; Dimond Post 21 - Alex Bruce, Luke Smith and Logan Sweet; North Pole Post 30 - Ethan Clifford, Gavin Fischer and Ethan Frollo; Bartlett Post 28 - Eli Corwin, John Grantier and Connor Sessoms; Chugiak Post 33 - Andrew Gruszynski, Hunter Rau and Preston Rau; and Palmer Post 15 - Jason Gunderson, Kaden Ketchum and Evan Walker.

  Their opponents came from the National Division’s Service Post 28 - Sean Giffen, Henry Helgeson, Jake Rafferty and Hutton Stiles; Ketchikan Post 3 - Terik Brown, Hayden McGarrigan and Dylan Nedzwecky; Fairbanks Post 11 - Gabriel Angaiak, Caden Davis and Olav Moeller; East Post 34 - Zack Barnhart, Andrew Hickman and Jacob Hulst; Kenai Post 20 - Sam Berry, Daltyn Deborski and Harrison Metz; West Post 1 - Cyrus Clendaniel, Orion Halliburton and Ivan Tillman; Wasilla Post 35 - Dayton Greer, Jacob Hansen and Byson Malave; and Eagle River - Noah Lower, Orazio Ramos and Stefan Retzlaff.

  According to ALB media five American Division pitchers worked a scoreless inning, they included South’s Issac Johnson and Reid Brock, North Pole’s Logan Fischer, Bartlett’s John Grantier and Chugiak’s Preston Rau.

  Aside from Ludeman’s double in the second inning and homer in the seventh, Fairbanks' Caden Davis hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning. Standout defensive plays came from Davis, Wasilla's Jacob Hansen, Bartlett's Eli Corwin and Ketchikan's Dylan Nedwecky.

  Davis’ homer gave the National Division a 6-4 lead.

 The American Division tied the game on a hit by Dimond’s Alex Bruce and took the lead 8-6 on a hit by Bartlett’s Eli Corwin. Ludeman’s homer made it 13-6. Bruce had three RBIs and a defensive catch.

   The National All-Stars defense included Davis saving a run at first base, Nedwecky throwing out a runner at second base and Hansen with a beautiful diving catch in left field. 

  Davis went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored. Ketchikan’s Terik Brown went 2-for-2, including atwo-run double in the third inning that gave the Nationals a 4-0 lead. Service’s Henry Helgeson and Eagle River’s Stefan Retzlaff added RBIs. Kenai’s Sam Berry pitched a 1-2-3 inning.

  The Alaska American Legion State Tournament begins Thursday at Anchorage’s Mulcahy Stadium.