MARISSA - Drake Champlin hit a pair of two-run homers, while Marcus Payne struck out 11 on the mound, as Alton Post 126's senior American Legion baseball team won its season opener over Marissa Post 172 8-1 Monday night, June 2, 2025, at Mariisa-Coulterville High School.
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The Legionnaires got their 2025 campaign off to a great start, coming off a very successful 2024 campaign, The roster consists of players from the local high schools, such as East Alton-Wood River, Alton, Marquette Catholic, Piasa Southwestern, and Roxana, among others.
In the opener, Champlin hit his first homer in the opening inning over the fence in left field, scoring Carsen Bristow ahead of him to give Alton a 2-0 lead. He later hit his second homer in as many at-bats in the top of the third, again over the left field fence, scoring Bristow ahead of him once again to put Post 126 up 5-0.
For the game, Champlin's two-run homers were his only hits and four RBIs, while Nolan Parker had two hits and three RBIs, Kael Heste and Alex Pilger had two hits each, and Joe Stephan had a hit and RBI.
Payne went all the way on the mound, allowing an earned run off a fifth inning home run, on two hits, walking none and fanning 11.
The Legionnaires are now 1-0 for the summer season, and have their home opener at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Gordon Moore Park at 8 p.m. on Tuesday against Trenton, then host the Honey Badgers select team at 6 p.m. on Thursday, and DeSoto, Mo., next Monday at 6 p.m.
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