Three area American Legion baseball teams will be taking part in this weekend's Firecracker Classic tournament, an tournament that has become an Independence Day tradition in the area.
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The 15-team tournament gets under way today at three locations – Jerseyville, Belleville and Fairview Heights – with two days of group play, with the three group winners and a wild-card team advancing to the semifinals and final in Belleville Monday. Should rain enter the picture, Tuesday has been set aside as a rain date.
The group in Jerseyville will play their games at Ken Schell Field, with Jerseyville, Valmeyer, Quincy, St. Charles, Mo., and Eureka, Mo., all playing there. Jerseyville takes on Valmeyer at 10 a.m. today to open the tournament, with Jerseyville also meeting Eureka at 7:30 p.m. today to finish the day; Valmeyer meets Quincy at 12:30 p.m., Quincy meets St. Charles at 3 p.m. and St. Charles takes on Eureka at 5:30 p.m. before the Jerseyville-Eureka game.
Sunday's play begins at 10 a.m. as Jerseyville takes on St. Charles, followed at 12:30 p.m. by St. Charles against Valmeyer; Valmeyer then meets Eureka at 3 p.m., Eureka takes on Quincy at 5:30 p.m. and Jerseyville wraps up group play at 7:30 p.m. against Quincy.
At Whitey Herzog Field in Belleville, play begins at 10 a.m. today when Belleville's Hilgards take on Jefferson City, Mo., followed at 12:30 p.m. by Jefferson City taking on Festus, Mo.; Alton Post 126's juniors will meet Festus at 3 p.m. before Post 126 meets Morgantown, W.Va., at 5:30 p.m.; Saturday's games conclude at 7:30 p.m. with the Hilgards taking on Morgantown. Sunday play begins at 10 a.m. when the Hilgards meet Post 126 and continues at 12:30 p.m. with Alton clashing with Jefferson City; Jeff City takes on Morgantown at 3 p.m. and Morgantown meets up with Festus at 5:30 p.m. Play concludes for the day at 7:30 p.m. when Belleville meets Festus.
Longacre Park in Fairview Heights will host their own group, with play starting at 10 a.m. today with the Bears meeting up with Aviston, followed by Aviston taking on Jackson, Mo., at 12:30 p.m. At 3 p.m., Jackson meets up with Ballwin, Mo., followed by Ballwin playing a second Belleville team at 5:30 p.m., with Belleville 2 taking on Metro East at 7:30 p.m. to conclude Saturday's games. The Bears begin Sunday's games at 10 a.m. against Ballwin, while Ballwin meets Aviston at 12:30 p.m.; Belleville 2 takes on Aviston at 3 p.m. before Belleville 2 takes on Jackson at 5:30 p.m.; play concludes at Fairview with the Bears meeting Jackson at 7:30 p.m.
The three group winners and the top second-place group team advance to Monday's semifinals at Whitey Herzog Field, with the Jerseyville and Belleville group winners meeting at 10 a.m. and the wild-card team taking on the Fairview Heights group winner at 1 p.m.; the semifinal winners meet for the championship of the Firecracker at 3 p.m.
