PORTLAND – The Brewer Falcons began their American Legion baseball season seven weeks ago with the goal of becoming state champions.

Now they’re just one day – and two wins – away.

Brewer advanced to Wednesday’s championship round of the eight-team double-elimination tournament at Hadlock Field by holding off stubborn Monmouth 9-8 on Tuesday afternoon.

“From Day 1 a state championship has been our goal,” said leftfielder Andrew Otis, who had three singles and the defensive play of the game, a diving catch in the third inning that helped cool a Monmouth rally. “We just take it one game at a time, but now that it’s very close it’s a nice feeling.”

Brewer (26-4) will play undefeated Andrews Post of Portland (26-0) at 4 p.m., with the Falcons needing to defeat the defending champions twice Wednesday to claim its first state title since 1997. Andrews improved to 4-0 in tournament play with a 13-2 victory over Coastal Athletics of South Portland in Tuesday’s late game.

Andrews already owns one win over Brewer, an 8-1 decision Monday night.

“It’s going to be tough, but we’re willing to do what it takes, we’re that type of team,” said Brewer third baseman Kevin McAvoy. “We’re going to go out and play strong [Wednesday], and whatever happens happens, but we’re going to give it our best.”

McAvoy gave it his best in his first two at-bats against Monmouth lefthander Justin Denbow, launching two mammoth home runs to stake Brewer to a 3-0 lead through three innings.

The first was a towering two-run blast that landed in the net above the Maine Monster, Hadlock’s high left-field fence designed as a replica to the Green Monster at Fenway Park in Boston.

That similarity wasn’t lost on the Brewer slugger.

“It was kind of cool,” said McAvoy. “After it went out, I kind of realized that Fenway was like that. It was something I wanted to do.”

McAvoy hit his second home run of the game in the third, a solo shot to center, and subsequently was intentionally walked in each of his final three at-bats.

“We just told Kevin to wait until they made a mistake,” said Brewer coach David Morris, “and whether they were mistake pitches or they were aggressively coming after him, I think he lived up to what he’s done all year long. He’s had a heck of a tournament and we’re just glad he’s on our team.”

Monmouth (22-4) reached Brewer starter Chris Maguire for two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Scott Ogden and Chip Burnham, but Brewer answered immediately with three runs in its half of the inning.

Rick Adams drew a two-out walk and scored when Maguire’s single got past Monmouth centerfielder Sean Holbrook. After McAvoy was walked, Joe Robicheau made Denbow pay with a two-run double to right to make it 6-2.

Monmouth crept within 6-4 in the top of the sixth on a two-run single by Tavis Hasenfus, but again the Falcons had a quick response.

Maguire reached on an error and McAvoy walked before Robicheau singled off the glove of Burnham at third base. A Prentiss Swett groundout plated Maguire before Brad Brown grounded a two-run single to right-center to push the Falcons’ lead to 9-4.

But these Legion tournament games are nine innings long – compared to seven innings for most Legion and all high school contests – and the extra at-bats provide extra opportunities to come back and additional responsibilities when the task is one of preserving a lead.

“It definitely comes down to focus,” said Otis. “Those two extra innings really don’t seem like much, but it really is when you’re out on the field mentally and physically. You really have to stay up to keep your momentum.”

It was momentum Monmouth nearly stole away from Brewer over those two extra innings.

Ethan Guerrette doubled and scored on a single by Ryan Hinkley in the eighth to cut the gap to 9-5, and Monmouth put a big scare on the Falcons in the ninth, scoring three runs on four hits and an error before Hinkley grounded out to short with the tying run at third to end the game.

“You hope you’ve been in some adverse situations during the season that you respond well to so you’re prepared for something like that, and that’s been our character all year long,” said Morris. “We didn’t panic, the guys hung in there and stayed positive, and it really was a game of heart on both sides. Monmouth battled, they hit the ball and we knew they were going to battle.”

Robicheau and Brown joined Otis and McAvoy as repeat hitters, Robicheau with three singles and Brown with two singles.

Guerrette had a double and two singles to pace Monmouth, which outhit Brewer 15-11.

Monmouth (22-4) 000 202 013 – 8 15 3

Brewer (26-4) 201 303 00x – 9 11 1

Denbow, Eaton (5), Ogden (8) and Hasenfus; Maguire, Nicknair (6), McAvoy (8) and Robicheau