DANVILLE - Four players - Auggie Landuyt, Fletcher Groppel, Zach Thornton, and Will McCormick - all had two hits each, while Kaden Witsken struck out 10 while on the mound. Watseka Post 23 broke out to an early 8-0 lead, and held off an Alton Post 126 rally to hold off the junior Legionnaires 11-7 in the final game of the group stage at a tournament being played at Danville's American Legion Ballpark.
The loss left Alton at 2-1 in the group stage, and also ended a five-game winning streak for the junior Legionnaires, who are now 9-5 on the season.
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Watseka scored five times in the first and three more times in the second to take their early 8-0 lead, but Post 126 fought back to score twice in the third, once in the fourth, and twice more in the fifth to cut the Watseka lead to 8-5. Post 23 then scored once in the sixth to take a 9-5 lead, and both sides traded two runs each in the seventh to make the final score 11-7 for Watseka.
Groppel led the way for Alton with two hits and two RBIs, while Landuyt and Will McCormick had two hits and an RBI each, Thornton had two hits, and Clayton McCormick also had an RBI. Max Laird started on the mound, and was charged with the loss, going two innings, allowing eight runs, four earned, on five hits, walking one and striking out one, while Witsken went for five innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits, walking four and fanning 10
Post 126 returns to action on Tuesday at home against Maryland Heights, Mo. Post 213 in a 6 p.m. start, then plays in the GMB tournament in O'Fallon at Blazier Field the weekend of June 19-21. After the tournament, the junior Legionnaires will host Jerseyville Post 492 on June 23 at 6 p.m.
