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Despite early hitting troubles, Post 500 notches victory.

Lincoln (Neb.) Carpet Land Post 500 missed early opportunities in its American Legion World Series opener on Thursday against the Fairfield (Calif.) Expos.

Yet, despite being no-hit for 3 1/3 innings, Lincoln generated enough offense.

“We had swings that almost blew it open in the first,” Lincoln coach Mychal Lanik said of home run-length foul balls by Cade Anderson and Trevor Roach in the first inning. “So I think we swung the bats better than the scoreboard showed.

“We just scratched it out and clawed it out.”

Two walks, a hit batter and a throwing error were turned into a first inning run by Lincoln.

Finally, after 3 1/3 innings, Lincoln’s first hit, a one-out double by Roach, made it 2-0.

“Credit to them,” Lanik said. “They came in with a pitcher (Dylan Eddings) who was throwing 93 (mph) with a fastball with a bit of a rise. And they made some really great plays. Their righ tfielder (Cole Rodda) took a triple away and their shortstop (Jack Armstrong) took a couple of hits away. They’re a really good team.”

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

PHOTO 1: Kalai Larsen of Lincoln, Neb. Carpet Land Post 500 takes the field. PHOTO 2: The Fairfield, Calif. Expos prepare for Game 2 . PHOTO 3: Catcher Javon Haynes of the Fairfield, Calif. Expos. PHOTO 4: Cade Anderson of Lincoln, Neb. Carpet Land Post 500 at bat. PHOTO 5: Nico Fullen of the Fairfield, Calif. Expos. PHOTO 6: Huxton Katt of Lincoln, Neb. Carpet Land Post 500 makes the game-winning out. Photos by Chet Strange

In the fifth, Lincoln tacked on two more runs on Sam Sutko’s triple, Brodie McIntire’s RBI single and Dele Odulate’s sacrifice fly.

Fairfield, which had two hits and drew five walks and two hit batters, scored two unearned runs in the sixth to make things interesting.

But Fisher Irons, who just completed his sophomore year in high school, got Lincoln’s second double play of the game to end the sixth then retired Fairfield in order in the seventh.

“We gave Greyson (Bjorkman) the ball because he’s been around and he’s done it so much,” Lanik said of his starter and winner who went five innings, yielding one hit and four walks with four strikeouts. “He wasn’t his best today but he went five innings ... so you can’t complain about that.

“Then the young guy pitched pretty good. Six huge outs from a sophomore in the World Series is pretty huge.”

Next for Lincoln (52-6): 4 p.m. ET Saturday vs. Tupelo (Miss.) Post 49.

Next for Fairfield (40-23-1): noon p.m. ET Saturday vs. Whitehouse (N.J.) Post 284.