WASHINGTON, Mo. - The senior Alton Post 126 American Legion baseball team enjoyed a successful weekend, winning two of three games in a Fourth of July tournament in Washington, Mo., and head into their final week of the regular season as they prepare for the Legion postseason and the District 22 playoffs, which start next week.
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The Legionnaires defeated Northeast Missouri 2-1 and Ballwin, Mo. 4-1, but fell in their final game against the host Washington Post 218 team 9-3. finishing the tournament at 2-1.
In the first game on Saturday against NEMO, Alton scored single runs in both the third and fifth innings to go ahead 2-0, but Northeast Missouri scored a run in the sixth to draw within 2-1, but that would be all the scoring in the game as Max Ontis threw a complete game on the mound to take the win, allowing an unearned run on four hits, walking two and striking out four.
The Legionnaires were held to two hits, both by Shaun Ferguson, but Ferguson drove in both the Alton runs to give the Legionnaires the win.
In Alton's second game on Saturday against Ballwin, the Legionnaires scored once in the bottom of the first, then twice more in the second to go ahead 3-0 and also scored a single run in the fifth to take a 4-0 lead. Ballwin scored a single run in the sixth, but Post 126 went on to take the 4-1 win.
Lucas Moore had two hits and two RBIs to pace the Legionnaires, while Will Fahnestock also had a pair of hits, Tyler Robinson had a hit. and RBI, both Ferguson and Hayden Sherman had a hit and Logan Bogard drove in a run. Sherman pitched Alton's second straight complete game, allowing an unearned run on only one hit, walking two and fanning five.
In Sunday's game against the hosts, Washington scored three times in the top of the first and once more in the second to take a 4-0 lead, with Post 126 scoring twice in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 4-2. Washington then scored three more times in the top of the fourth and added single runs in the fifth and sixth to increase the lead to 9-2 before the Legionnaires scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to make the final 9-3.
Sherman led Alton with two hits and two RBIs, with Ashton Schepers having two hits and a RBI and Ferguson, Hayden Garner, Bogard and Eli Lawrence all had hits. Scott Vickery started on the mound and was tagged with the loss, pitching three innings and allowing seven runs, six earned, on seven hits, walking three and striking out three, while Schepers pitched the final four innings, giving up two runs on four hits while walking five and fanning two.
The Legionnaires conclude their regular season this week, playing a District 22 game at Highland, starting at 8 p.m. Wednesday, then concluding the regular season at a tournament in Danville July 7-9. The District 22 playoffs are set for July 14-17. with the Fifth Division tournament scheduled for July 20-23 at West Frankfort and the Legion state tournament is set for Galesburg July 26-29. The Great Lakes Regional tournament will be played at Midland, Mich. on Aug. 2-6 and the Legion World Series is set for Aug. 10-15 at its now-traditional home of Shelby, N.C.
