DECATUR – Alton American Legion Post 126's junior baseball team reached Sunday's final of the state junior American Legion tournament, but lost to Moline 3-0 to give Moline the state championship.
The junior Legionnaires finished the season with a 26-16 mark and won the District 22 and Fifth Division championships on their way to their berth in the state tournament.
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A total of 74 teams started on the road to Decatur; Moline and Alton were the final two sides standing.
Moline defeated Alton 13-1 in a Saturday afternoon clash, giving Post 126 their first loss in the double-elimination tournament, but Alton bounced back with a 5-2 win over Danville in a game that immediately followed to move into the final and eliminate Danville.
Rylee Bernot threw a complete game against Danville, with Adam Stilts tying he game with a RBI; Ben Mossman also had a bases-clearning double for Post 126 in the win.
Alton's team included Caden Akal, Cole Akal, Rylee Bernot, Ryan Best, Griffen Bionco, Gage Booten, Austin Frank, Parker Isakson, Cullen McBride, Ben Mossman, Simon Nguyen, Adam Stilts, Dakota Stumpf, Cree Stumpf and Zaide Wilson; the team was managed by Dennis Sharp.
Here are the full results from the state tournament, which was played at Forsyth Park near Decatur and Clinton High School:
THURSDAY, JULY 28
Game 1: Valmeyer 3, Decatur 2
Game 2: Danville 7, Salem 5
Game 3: Alton 5, Charleston 1
Game 4: Moline 4, Paris 3
FRIDAY, JULY 29
Game 5: Charleston 7, Decatur 3 (Decatur eliminated)
Game 6: Paris 4, Salem 2 (Salem eliminated)
Game 7: Alton 6, Valmeyer 5
Game 8: Moline 2, Danville 1
SATURDAY, JULY 30
Game 9: Valmeyer 5, Paris 1 (Paris eliminated)
Game 10: Danville 5, Charleston 2 (Charleston eliminated)
Game 11: Moline 13, Alton 1 (Moline advances to final)
Game 12: Alton 5, Danville 2 (Danville eliminated; Alton advances to final)
Game 13: Moline 9, Valmeyer 8 (9 innings; Valmeyer eliminated)
SUNDAY, JULY 31
Game 14: Moline 3, Alton 0 (Moline wins state Junior American Legion championship)
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