GALESBURG - Brody Short came up with a great performance on the mound at the most opportune time, striking out 13 batters in 6.2 innings, as Jerseyville Post 492's junior American Legion baseball team took a tightly-fought 2-1 win over Galesburg Post 285 in the championship game of the Illinois Third Division junior tournament Friday afternoon in Galesburg.
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The win allowed the Panthers to advance to the state tournament this week in Carol Stream, in suburban Chicago.
Post 492 scored all the runs they would need in the first inning, as Justice Drainer opened the game by drawing a walk, then scored on Graham Vanausdoll's double over the center fielder's head to score Drainer, with Vanausdoll taking third on the throw to the plate. Vanausdoll scored what turned out to be the winning run to make it 2-0 for Jerseyville.
Galesburg scored a run in the top of the third to halve the lead to 2-1 for Post 492, but from there, Short shut the door solidly, pitching very well in going on to the win that advanced Post 492 to the state tournament.
Vanausdoll had a hit and the only RBI on the day for Jerseyville, while Jagger Young and Ian Kanallakan had the other hits. Short was the winning pitcher, going 6.2 innings on the mound, allowing an unearned run on two hits, walking two and striking out 13, while Liam Spencer got the final out on a strikeout to earn the save.
Post 492 advances to the state tournament, which is set to begin Thursday in Carol Stream and go on through July 28. Jerseyville's first game is set for 5 p.m. on Thursday, with the opponent to be announced.
