ALTON - Caden Laslie had three hits and two RBIs to lead Alton Post 126 junior baseball team, but a six-run seventh inning proved to be the difference as Piasa Southwestern defeated the Junior Legionnaires 12-7 in a game played Saturday afternoon at Lloyd Hopkins field at Gordon Moore Park.
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It was the first game for Alton in nearly a week, after seeing games against Belleville and Valmeyer cancelled last Monday and Tuesday respectively.
The Junior Legionnaires broke out on top in the bottom of the first inning with a run, but the Piasa Birds tied things up with a run in the top of the second. The Junior Legionnaires then scored four times in the home half to take a 5-1 lead, but Southwestern scored twice in both the third and fourth innings to tie the game back up at 5-5. Alton countered with two in the bottom of the fourth to go back ahead 7-5, with the Birds scoring once in the top of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 7-6, and then coming up with six runs in the top of the seventh to make the final 12-7.
Laslie led the way by going three-for-four and a two RBI day at the plate, while Luke Parmentier had two hits and three RBIs, with both Seth Slayden and Nick Kelsay having the other two hits on the day. Nick Rayfield and Andrew Wieneke also had RBIs for the Junior Legionnaires.
Wieneke was the starting pitcher, but only lasted an inning, giving up a run without a hit, walking three and striking out one. Slayden pitched the next two innings, giving up two runs on three hits while walking one, followed by James Stendeback, who gave up three runs on six hits, walking one and fanning three. Jackson Kenney started the seventh for Alton, but couldn't get anyone out, allowing three runs on only one hit, walking one, and was relieved by Rayfield, who allowed three more runs on two hits, walking two and striking out one in his inning of work.
Both teams stranded 10 runners each, and Alton committed the only error on the day, but it didn't factor in the outcome.
The Junior Legionnaires conclude their abbreviated season with a home game against Southwestern on Tuesday, with the first pitch set for 6 p.m.
