Wheeling Post 1 members celebrate during a game earlier this summer. The team will have the chance to repeat as West Virginia American Legion champs after defeating Berkeley Post 13 in a semifinal game Sunday in Morgantown. Wheeling, which remains unbeaten in the double-elimination tournament, will have two shots to clinch the title today. (File Photo)

MORGANTOWN — In a game where neither team had any intention of budging off of a scoreless tie, it took one 10th inning back-and-forth to send Wheeling Post 1 to the West Virginia American Legion State Championship, an RBI-base hit by Braxton Billick tying the game in the bottom of the 10th, 1-1, and another RBI-base hit by Chris Upton walking off Berkeley Post 13 and giving Post 1 a chance to repeat as champions.

Wheeling will face Beckley Post 32 at 1 p.m. today. Beckley has one loss in the double-elimination tournament, while Post 1 is undefeated in the tourney, meaning that Beckley will have to beat Wheeling twice to claim the title.

After Berkeley got one run across in the top of the 10th, Post 1 found themselves in prime position to tie the game, with runners on second and third and one out after Brady Ernest’s high fly ball to right field swirled in the wind and dropped safely. However, a groundout put Berkeley one out away from ending the game.

Up to bat was Wheeling’s Braxton Billick, who found himself with a full count and the game on the line. Billick reached out and slapped a sharp grounder past first base, scoring pinch-runner Dom Fato and tying the game.

Next, it was Upton’s turn to be the hero, making solid contact for a picturesque single lined to center field. Ernest scored, and as Upton raced around first to second, his entire team was just behind him swarming the field.

Post 1 had defeated Charleston Post 65, the Post 60 Knights, and Clarksburg Post 13 to get to Sunday’s semifinal. Last year, they defeated Morgantown Post 2 in the championship round.

Ryland Robb started the game for Wheeling Post 1, pitching five clean innings. Robb started the game with two strikeouts. He turned it over to Jake Brown in the sixth inning. Brown struck out six and picked up the win.