St. Cloud Post 76 wins Minnesota American Legion Fastpitch Softball title

By Tim Engstrom Published July 30, 2024

Minnesota American Legion Fastpitch Softball 2024 Champions St. Cloud Post 76 players and coaches stand with the directors of the softball program on Sunday, July 28.

BEMIDJI — The St. Cloud Post 76 Hype defeated La Crescent Post 595 by a score of 3-2 Sunday to capture the Minnesota American Legion Fastpitch Softball championship.

Both teams take home the classic A-frame trophies of the Minnesota American Legion Baseball and Softball programs. The tournament was hosted by Bemidji Post 14 on July 26, 27 and 28 at Bemidji City Park.

Ella Voit was named Outstanding Pitcher of the Tournament. In three games, she pitched 21 innings and gave up 7 hits, 2 earned runs, no walks and struck out 40 batters. She pitched in the title game, throwing a complete game. She gave up 3 hits, 0 earned runs and struck out 10 batters. Tayla Vought was selected as the Outstanding Player of the Tournament. In the three games, she went 6-11 in at-bats, scored 3 runs, drove in 4 runs and had 4 doubles and 1 home run.

In the big game on Sunday, Sam Dingman scored first for St. Cloud at the top of the fourth inning. St. Cloud added a run on a wild pitch later the same inning. La Crescent scored on a St. Cloud error in the bottom of the fourth. Ellie Meyers of St. Cloud hit a triple, then Voit drove in a run at the top of the sixth inning. La Crescent got another run in the bottom of the seventh. The team had the tying run on second base when a strikeout ended the game.

This is St. Cloud’s first year as a Legion Fastpitch Softball team. Teams find American Legion Fastpitch Softball less expensive than traveling softball programs, and the kids play closer to home more frequently.

Ella Voit, left, was named Outstanding Pitcher of the Tournament, and Tayla Vought, right, was the Outstanding Player in of the Tournament.

Upsala Post 350, which wasn’t even in the softball rankings at the end of the season, took third place, defeating Melrose Post 101 4-0.

The Sportsmanship Award went to Belview Post 309.

Teams qualifying for state were: Bemidji Post 14 (Host), St. Cloud Post 76, La Crescent Post 595, Wadena Post 171, Parkers Prairie Post 219, Belview Post 309, Upsala Post 350 and Melrose Post 101. The website for Minnesota American Legion Fastpitch Softball is minnesotalegionsoftball.com. Registration opens up in January.

The tournament is headed to Fairmont in 2025, with Post 36 hosting. Softball Director Mike Arvidson said the Minnesota American Legion Fastpitch Softball Committee is considering making the tournament double-elimination for next season.

He also heard from the Legion Softball program in North Carolina, which was the first state to offer Legion Softball, and there is a movement afoot to get American Legion Softball World Series. States with Legion Softball that Arvidson knows of are Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, Massachusetts, California, Idaho, New York and Wisconsin. There may be others in fledgling mode that haven’t gotten off the ground.