WASHINGTON, Mo. - Hayden Garner drove in three runs for Alton Post 126's senior American Legion baseball team on Sunday afternoon, but a five-run fourth inning was the difference as Eureka, Mo. defeated the Legionnaires 9-5 to take third place in the Washington, Mo., Fourth of July tournament.

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In a format change, the two-second place teams from the group stage - Eureka in Group A and Alton in Group B - met for third and fourth places, while the top two teams in the Group played each other for the championship and the third-place teams met for fifth and sixth place.

Alton took the lead early on in the top of the first with three runs, while Eureka scored once in the first and second innings that cut the Post 126 lead to 3-2. The Legionnaires pushed across a run in the top of the fourth to make it 4-2, then Eureka exploded for its five-run bottom of the fourth to take a 7-4 lead.

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Both teams traded runs in the fifth and Eureka added a run in the sixth to make the 9-5 final, giving them third place in the tournament.

Garner had two hits to go along with his three RBIs, while Ashton Schepers had two hits and an RBI, Luke Parmentier had a pair of hits and both Ian Heflin and Braden Arview had a hit each.

Max Ontis started on the mound for Alton and went four innings, walking two and striking out four, while Tyler Robinson fanned one while on the hill.

After enjoying the Fourth of July holiday off, the Legionnaires start a busy week with a three-game home stand starting Tuesday against Aviston, then hosting Union, Mo. on Wednesday and Highland on Thursday, all games at Lloyd Hopkins Field at Gordon Moore Park starting at 8 p.m.

Post 126 then plays at Troy on Saturday afternoon in a 12:30 p.m. start, then host Troy in the second game of a home-and-home set July 12 in an 8 p.m. start. The Legionnaires conclude the regular season July 15-17 in a tournament at Danville before starting the postseason with the District 22 tournament, set for July 19-21.

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