FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - Alton American Legion Post 126's senior baseball team scored six times in the top of the fourth inning, then three more times in the fifth, then held on to defeat Highland 10-7 and win the Firecracker Tournament Sunday morning at Moody Park in Fairview Heights.
The two teams met the previous day in the round robin stage of the tournament, with Highland taking advantage of six Alton errors in a 14-5 win. In the final, the Legionnaires took advantage of Highland miscues in winning the tournament.
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"We sure did," said Alton manager Doug Booten. "I'm proud of them. A couple of weeks ago, when we lost to Eureka (Mo.), we got a chip on our shoulder and put up 21 runs against them. I think it was the same thing today. We got good starting pitching from Brady (Salzman), and we took advantage of their mistakes the same way they took advantage of ours yesterday."
Most importantly, Booten feels that the team has really come together and gelled exceptionally well. The Legionnaires will be a team to watch when the postseason gets underway later this month.
"I think it was," Booten said. "I really feel that this team has come together this weekend, and I think that we're going to be a tough team to play against the rest of the season. We're set up well to do some good things the rest of the regular season."
The teams traded runs in the second to get started, with Highland scoring a single run in the third to take a 2-1 lead. Alton then put up six runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead 7-2, then scored three more times in the top of the fifth to extend the lead to 10-2. Highland rallied with five runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Alton held on to take the 10-7 win and the tournament championship.
Cameron Hailstone led the Legionnaires with two hits and an RBI, while Preston Schepers had two hits, both Nick Rayfield and Austin Callovini had a hit and RBI, Brendon Smith and Preston Kaylor had a hit each and both Owen Macias and Caden Laslie drove in a run each.
Salzman pitched six innings on the mound for Alton, allowing three runs on two hits, walking three and striking out five, while Blaine Lancaster threw for two-thirds of an inning in the seventh, allowing four runs without a hit and walking three and Smith tossed the final third of the seventh, allowing one hit while fanning the final batter for Highland to clinch the game and title.
The Legionnaires will face tough opposition, including some good teams in District 22, before the playoffs begin later this month, leading to the Legion World Series, set for August 12-17 in Shelby, N.C., its now-traditional home. Booten is very excited about his team's prospects and chances heading into the postseason.
"Yeah, I am," Booten said, 'but we're looking ahead to finishing the next couple of weeks and head into the playoffs on a roll. I knew a few guys were struggling at the plate this season, and this weekend, they really came around and helped us win a couple of games."
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
