STEELEVILLE - Abe Kribs had two hits on the night, while Ryan Lowis had the only RBI, and Colt Sievers struck out eight in five innings of work on the mound, as John Kunz scored what proved to be the winning run on a passed ball in the bottom of the third inning as Alton Post 126 took a thrilling 2-1 win over St. Jacob Post 665 in the Illinois American Legion Fifth Division Tournament Thursday night, July 16, 2026, at Steeleville.
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The win advances Alton to the winner's bracket final on Saturday afternoon, where the Legionnaires will face either top-seeded Aviston Post 1239 Express or Orient Post 1961. or Smithton Post 937, with the winner going directly into the championship series on Sunday.
Post 125 took the lead 1-0 in the bottom of the first on a base hit by Kribs, who went to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on a Jayce Steinkuehler hit, and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Lowis. St. Jacob tied it in the top of the third on a one-out walk, a stolen base, and an error by the second baseman, but Alton took the lead back in the home half, as Kunz tripled to left to lead off the inning, and scored on a passed ball to put Post 126 up 2-1.
Sievers got out of a jam in the fourth, and went on to pitch five innings to earn the win, as Landon Sitze came on in the sixth and had little trouble retiring St. Jacob in earning the save as Alton won 2-1 to advance to the winner's bracket final.
Kribs led the way for Alton with his two hits, while Kunz and Steinkuehler also had hits, and Lowis had the only RBI. Sievers went five innings to gain the win, allowing an unearned run on two hits, walking four and striking out eight, while Sitze got the save, allowing no runs or hits in two innings on the mound, walking four and fanning three.
The Legionnaires will now play in the winner's bracket final Saturday at 2:30 p.m., with a win putting Post 126 directly into the championship series on Sunday. A loss will relegate the Legionnaires to the loser's bracket final Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The championship series will be played Sunday at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., if necessary.
The division winner goes on to the Illinois state tournament, also a double-elimination affair, in Aviston July 22-26, with the state winner going on to the Great Lakes regional in Lexington, Ky., Aug. 5-9. The regional champion advances to the 101st American Legion World Series Aug. 13-18 in Shelby, N.C.
