ELSBERRY, Mo. - Cullen McBride led a 13-hit attack by going three-for-four with an RBI, while Tyler Hanslow drove home three runs and Gage Booten and Trenton Segarra had two RBIs each as Alton Post 126 shut out Elsberry, Mo. Post 225 9-0 in the opening game of the Washington, Mo., tournament Thursday night at Elsberry.
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Each player in the Legionnaire lineup had at least one hit, while McBride shut the door on Elsberry with four strong innings in a great all-around team win.
"We were great. I couldn't ask for much more," said Alton manager Doug Booten. "We had a couple of miscues on defense, but other than that, we hit the ball great. Everyone got a hit tonight, Just a great overall performance."
Alton jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with three runs in both the first and second innings, then scored once in the fourth and twice more int he sixth to get their third consecutive win after dropping a season-opening doubleheader.
"It was just about a picture perfect ball game outside of the two miscues," Booten said. "Obviously, we had a rough start because we couldn't get on a field, but the more games we get in, the better we start to look."
Besides McBride's three hits, Hanslow and Booten each had two hits, while Blaine Lancaster, Adam Stilts, Preston Schepers, Segarra, Owen Macias and Tyler Steward each came up with a hit for the Legionnaires. Stilts and McBride also had RBIs for Alton.
Alton pitching held Elsberry to only three hits while striking our five and only walking one batter in his four innings of work to gain the win. Ted Webb only walked one in the fifth, while Macias gave up a hit and struck out two in the sixth to preserve the Legionnaire win.
"It's a great start to the tournament," Booten said. "The bats are coming alive, and everyone had at least one hit. It's a great sight to see."
The Legionnaires take Friday off, then resume tournament play at 11 a.m. on Saturday against Kirkwood at the Elsberry ballpark, then will play an opponent to be determined later that afternoon. The tournament is scheduled to conclude on Sunday afternoon with the championship game.
