CAROL STREAM - Jerseyville Post 492 held a 6-0 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning, but Patoka Post 543 tied the game with a six-run inning, with both teams scoring once in the eighth, and Jerseyville taking the lead in the ninth before a pop fly two-run single with two out in the bottom of the ninth gave Patoka a 9-8 win in the loser's bracket of the Illinois junior American Legion baseball tournament Friday night, July 24, 2026, in Carol Stream.
The loss eliminated the Panthers from the double-elimination tournament, having lost earlier in the day to Carrier Mills Post 364 7-5 when Carrier Mills scored four runs in the top of the seventh to win.
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In the game against Patoka on Friday night, the game was scoreless until the top of the third, when the Panthers scored a single run to go up 1-0, then hit Patoka with four runs in the fourth, and a single in the top of the seventh to take a 6-0 lead. Patoka rallied with their six-run seventh to tie the game and force extra innings, where in the eighth, Isaac Hackethal was hit by a pitch to lead off, but was erased on a double play. With two out, Hudson Schannot singled, and Logan Dabbs drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Caiden Crimmins singled home Schannot to put Post 492 back on top 7-6 before a pop out ended the inning.
Patoka tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a lead-off walk, then with two out after the runner was sacrificed to second, a single to left brought home the runner to level things up again at 7-7. In the top of the ninth, with two out, Justice Drainer walked and came home on a triple by Hackethal to right, giving Jerseyville the lead back at 8-7, but Hackethal was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch the triple into an inside-the-park homer, ending the inning.
It turned out to be a big play when in the bottom of the ninth, Patoka started with a single, but the runner was thrown out at second trying to steal. The next batter drew a walk, but was out at second on a force play. Another single and walk loaded the bases, where a pop fly single to right scored the tying and winning runs, giving Patoka the 9-8 win, eliminating Jerseyville.
Luke Vanausdoll led the Panthers with two hits, while Brody Short had a hit and two RBIs, Hackethal, Dabbs, and Crimmins all had hits and RBIs, Jagger Young and Schannot had hits, and Liam Spencer had an RBI. Schannot started on the mound and went for four innings, giving up no runs and no hits, walking one and striking out two. Vanausdoll pitched two innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, walking none and fanning one, Dabbs came in to pitch, and didn't record an out, but gave up three runs, one earned, on two hits, walking two and striking out one.
Young relieved Dabbs, and pitched two innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits, walking two and fanning one, and Crimmins pitched 0.2 innings and was charged with the loss, giving up two earned runs on three hits, walking two and striking out none.
The Panthers' season ended with the loss, while Patoka advanced to another elimination game Saturday at 3 p.m. The finals are set for Sunday at 11 a.m. and a second game is set for 1:30 p.m., if necessary.
