ELLISVILLE, Mo. - The Alton Post 126 under-15 American Legion baseball team won twice at the GMB AAA tournament Saturday in Ellisville, Mo., in west St. Louis County, scoring a run in the top of the fourth to win over USA Prime Missouri 5-4, then taking a win over the Indiana Thunder 7-0.
The first game went five innings in length, with both teams scoring two runs in both the second and third innings, then Alton scored once in the top of the fourth to take the win over Prime Missouri, being held to three hits but taking advantage of four errors to take the win.
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Jacob Flowers had two hits and a RBI for the junior Legionnaires, while Blake Rensing had a hit and RBI and Reid Murray also drove in a run. Rensing started on the mound and went 2.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits, walking two and striking out three. Alex Pilger threw the final 2.2 inning to get the win, allowing an unearned run on two hits while walking two and striking out four.
It was all Post 126 in the second game, which went six innings, against the Thunder as the junior Legionnaires scored twice in the second, single runs in the third and fourth, then scored three runs in the fifth to take the 7-0 win, holding Indiana to three hits, while pounding out 11 hits of their own.
Murray and Dagan Cordes both led the way for Alton with two hits and a RBI each, while Logan Hickman had two hits, Jack Puent. Pilger and Joe Stephan all had a hit and RBI each and both Flowers and Dane Godar had hits. Gavin Ipanis threw a complete game, three-hit shutout, walking one and striking out five.
Alton completes play in the tournament on Sunday, then is scheduled to play at the Piasa Southwestern High summer team on Monday in a 5:30 p.m. first pitch.
The junior Legionnaires are also ready to play in the District 22 playoffs to open their post season, starting Monday and going through Wednesday. The Illinois Fifth Division tournament is scheduled for July 14-16 in Valmeyer, with the winner going through to the state tournament in Wheaton July 20-23. The Great Lakes regional tournament is scheduled July 27-31 in Valparaiso, Ind.
