Bennington Post 266 Rolls Past Lincoln East, Advances to Final Three at State Tournament

4–5 minutes

By Marisa Dawson

A young baseball player pitching on the mound during a game, with a teammate in the background.
Pitcher Brody Lichty delivers a complete-game performance on the mound.

The Bennington American Legion Post 266 Seniors continue to prove they belong among Nebraska’s best.

Entering the Class A Senior Legion State Tournament as the wild card, Post 266 delivered one of its most complete performances of the summer Tuesday night, defeating Lincoln East’s CarpetLand Rugs 18U squad 8-3 to advance into the tournament’s final three.

Bennington (now one of the last three teams remaining in the American Division bracket) will face Elkhorn North at 5 p.m. Wednesday. A win would send Post 266 into another game later that evening with a chance to claim the American Division title and earn a spot in Saturday’s state championship game against the National Division winner.

Head coach Collin McClain said his team never questioned whether it belonged.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s just keep believing,” McClain said. “We knew when we came in if we’re at our best, we’re as good as anybody. And it’s just believing that we can be at our best even against these top teams. When we do that, we’re fun to watch. It’s fun for me just to sit back and watch them play,” he added.

A baseball player in a black uniform with blue accents celebrating on second base with hands raised in the air.
Kellen Mlnarik celebrates a run to second base.

Lincoln East entered the matchup with an eye-popping combined spring and summer record, but Bennington wasted little time putting the pressure on.

After a scoreless first inning, Braydan Kloster scored on Dominic Driggs’ RBI single in the second before Brendon Da Luz added an RBI hit in the third to make it 2-0.

The game broke open in the fourth inning.

Connor Smith delivered one of the biggest swings of the night with a two-run double, while Bennington plated five runs in the inning to build a commanding 7-0 advantage. Myles Gifford added an RBI single during the rally, and the Post 266 offense continued to pressure Lincoln East with aggressive baserunning and timely hitting.

McClain said setting the tone early has become a key ingredient to his team’s success.

“That’s everything for us,” he said. “If we do that early, we’re tough… just come out with a lot of confidence and set the tone early. And so for us, that’s everything.”

A young baseball player swinging a bat at home plate during a game, with a catcher in the foreground and a pitcher in the background.

Bennington finished with 10 hits while drawing six walks. Smith (pictured above) drove in a team-high three runs, while Da Luz finished 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Kloster scored twice and drove in two runs, Gabe Nickel collected two hits, and Driggs added a hit, an RBI and a stolen base.

McClain credited his team’s execution for making one of the state’s top teams uncomfortable from the opening innings.

“The message was, you make them uncomfortable early and you just never know,” he said. “And we did a good job of that. We executed bunts. We stole a couple bags and just put balls in play. Even good teams… good things happen.”

While the offense built the lead, Brody Lichty took care of the rest.

The right-hander threw a complete game, allowing only five hits and three runs, two earned, over seven innings while striking out seven. Lincoln East’s only runs came in the bottom of the seventh after Bennington had built an 8-0 cushion.

A group of baseball players in black uniforms huddle together on the field at night, discussing strategies.

“I feel great,” Lichty said. “That’s a big win for us. Brings us into a lot of confidence for tomorrow.”

He said the team’s confidence never wavered despite entering the tournament as the final qualifier.

“We knew we were one of the best teams in the league,” Lichty said. “We came in with the confidence that we knew we could come in, go far in the tournament, and no one’s going to stop us.”

That belief has become the identity of Post 266 during its postseason run. McClain said the team’s mentality has centered on one simple phrase.

“We went in with no fear,” he said. “That’s the whole mindset and the whole mantra we had is that no fear, no matter the situation, game doesn’t matter. You go in believing in yourself, and we can do anything when we do that.”

For Da Luz (pictured below), the fast start helped fuel the entire evening.

A baseball player swings a bat at a pitch during a night game, with a catcher positioned behind home plate.

“It was awesome,” he said. “It’s nice to jump out on a really good team like that. And it’s just the momentum carried throughout the game.”

As Bennington prepares for Wednesday’s showdown with Elkhorn North, Da Luz said the team’s approach won’t change.

“I’m very confident,” he said. “We’re excited to get after it tomorrow and we’re just going to keep playing baseball the way we did.”

McClain said watching the team’s growth from the beginning of the season to now has been especially rewarding.

“Just the growth,” he said. “Not only the baseball part of it, just coming together because we had a lot of guys that were new to playing varsity baseball. They’ve grown as teammates, as players, and they’ve kind of found what works for us, what doesn’t work for us. It’s been a process, but we found it.”

With another convincing win over one of the state’s top programs, Bennington’s belief continues to grow as its postseason run rolls on.

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A baseball player in a black uniform fields a ball on a sunny day, preparing to throw from the infield.
A baseball player crouches down on the field, reaching to catch a ground ball during a game.
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A baseball player in a blue helmet and white uniform is running towards first base while another player in a black uniform is positioned in a defensive stance at first base.
A baseball player swings at a pitch while a catcher prepares to catch the ball, with spectators in the background.
A baseball catcher in a blue helmet and chest protector reaches for a pitch while a batter, dressed in a white uniform with red accents, prepares to swing at the ball.
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A baseball player catches a fly ball while another player stands nearby on the field.
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A young baseball player in a blue helmet swings at a pitch on a baseball field, while a catcher in a black helmet prepares to catch the ball.
A baseball player in a blue helmet swings a bat to hit a ball, while a catcher in black gear crouches behind home plate during an evening game.
A young baseball player in a blue helmet and black uniform is about to hit a baseball with a bat while a catcher and another player are positioned nearby.
A young baseball player in a black uniform with the number 11 swings a bat at a pitched ball during a game on a field. Another player crouches behind home plate, while teammates are positioned in the background.
A young baseball player in a blue helmet and grey uniform prepares to hit a pitch during a game, while another player stands ready to pitch in the background.
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A baseball player in a blue helmet and black jersey swings at a ball while a catcher in a white jersey crouches behind home plate. In the background, spectators are watching the game.
A young baseball pitcher in a black uniform throws a pitch from the mound during a game.
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A young baseball player in a black uniform with blue accents prepares to bat, with a catcher in a white and black uniform ready behind home plate.
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A baseball player in a blue helmet is swinging a bat, attempting to hit a pitched ball on a well-maintained field during a game. Other players are visible in the background.
A player in a black uniform runs towards home plate while a catcher in a white uniform prepares to receive the ball. Other players are visible in the background on a baseball field during dusk.
A baseball player swings a bat while standing at home plate during a game at dusk.
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A baseball player in a blue helmet and black jersey prepares to bat as a ball approaches during a night game.
A young baseball player in a blue helmet and black uniform running on a baseball field under the evening sky.
A player wearing a blue helmet and a black uniform running on a baseball field at dusk.
A baseball player in a blue helmet swings a bat at home plate during a night game, with the field illuminated by stadium lights.
A baseball player in a blue helmet and uniform prepares to hit the ball at home plate, while the catcher squats behind him and the pitcher is in the background ready to throw.
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A baseball player in a blue helmet dives towards home plate while a catcher in white gear prepares to tag him out, with an umpire in the foreground overseeing the play.
A baseball player stands at home plate, poised to bat, with a catcher in position. The game is being played at night on a well-lit field.
A partially illuminated orange moon against a dark night sky.
A baseball player sliding into first base as a fielder attempts to tag him during a night game.
A baseball player in a blue helmet swings a bat at home plate during a night game, with a catcher in gear and spectators in the background.
A baseball player in a blue helmet and black uniform swings at a pitch during a night game, while a catcher in a black and red uniform crouches behind home plate.
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A baseball player sliding towards home plate, while the catcher prepares to make a play. An umpire is positioned nearby.
A baseball player in a blue helmet swings at a pitch during a night game, with the catcher ready to receive the ball.
Two baseball players celebrating at home plate during a game, with one player wearing a blue helmet and jersey number 17, and the other wearing jersey number 27. A coach or umpire is visible in the background.
A baseball player diving to reach a base while another player prepares to tag him out.
A baseball player crouches at first base while a runner slides towards the base.

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