Coffey Post players talk about their tough loss to Bedford with the scoreboard in the distance telling the story Sunday night at Historic Holman Stadium. (Photo by Alex Posani)

NASHUA — Sunday night at Historic Holman Stadium brought the biggest heavyweight bout since the Thrilla in Manila, an American Senior Legion State Tournament winner’s bracket duel between District B and A first seeds Nashua James E. Coffey Post 3 and defending champion Bedford Post 54.

Just as Ali vs Frasier, it too was an instant classic, with Bedford emerging victorious 4-3 against Nashua on former Souhegan High standout Brayden Hickman’s go-ahead RBI in the eighth inning.

Now there is no margin for error for the Coffey Kids, who will face either Exeter or Rochester in a losers bracket final tonight at 7 at HHS. The winner goes to Tuesday’s finals, needing to beat Bedford in both the 9:30 a.m. first game and 12:30 p.m. nightcap. Nashua was in the same position a year ago but lost to runner-up Salem in the one-loss bracket final.

Bedford drew first blood in the top of the first inning off Nashua starter Jordy Delude, on a two-run double from Jason Kopf. In the bottom of the first, Nashua responded with a run of their own, with Ethan Drouin driving in Gavin Santos to put Nashua on the board.

Bedford continued the scoring in the top of the second inning with a run courtesy of an RBI single by Brayden Hickman, allowing Carter Stuart to score, who had reached via base on balls to lead off the inning.

Hickman, the starting pitcher for Bedford, would keep the score at 3-1 until the bottom of the 6th, where Ethan Drouin again singled, scoring Gavin Santos. Nick Wyner then scored on a passed ball, evening up the score at 3 apiece.

Seven innings wasn’t enough to decide this game. Both teams took the field in the 8th hoping to move on, and Hickman, who was at Saint Anselm this spring, put Bedford up 4-3 with his RBI single in the top of the 8th inning. In the bottom of the 8th, Nashua went down with two groundouts and a swinging strikeout to end this one.

“Both pitchers were outstanding, Jordy had a bit of a rough start,but settled in and was fantastic,” Nashua assistant coach Jordan Britton said. “Brayden over on Bedford was really really good.”

As for how Nashua plans to respond, Britton said “Be upset today, be ready for tomorrow. It’s back to business as usual.”

Nashua has a chance to bounce back tonight. Coffey Post already beat Rochester 11-1 on Saturday, and took two of three with Exeter during the regular season.

SUNDAY’S RESULTS, TODAY’S SCHEDULE, FINALS TIME CHANGE

Exeter eliminated Keene 6-4 on Sunday, while Rochester rolled over Laconia in a five-inning mercy rule game, 14-1. The two will face each other today at 4 with Nashua taking on the winner at 7.

The times for Tuesday’s Finals were changed due to inclement weather expected later in the day. Tonight’s winner faces Bedford in Game 1 at 9:30 a.m. and if Bedford loses, there will be a winner-take-all game at 12:30 p.m.

(Telegraph Staff Writer Tom King contributed to this report.)