Aviston Scores Three Runs in Fifth to Secure Victory Over Alton Senior Legion

TRENTON - Marcus Payne pitched a complete game on the mound for Alton Post 126's senior American Legion baseball team, but Alton was limited to four hits as the Aviston Post 1239 Express scored all their runs in the bottom of the fifth to deal the Legionnaires their first loss of the summer 3-0 in the final of the Gator Classic tournament late Sunday afternoon at Trenton Community Park.

The loss ended Post 126's seven-game season-opening winning streak, leaving Alton at 7-1 for the young season.

The Legionnaires had an opportunity in the opening inning, starting with a lead-off walk to Ayden Calvert and a Joe Stephan base hit, with Logan Bogard sacrificing both runners to second and third. A strikeout and fly out to right ended the inning with the Legionnaires failing to score.

Payne retired the first seven batters in a row, and 12 of the first 13 through four innings, but ran into trouble in the fifth, Drake Curry led off with a single, and Bryce Wieter drew a walk. One out later, Miles Browne reached on an error to load the bases, and an RBI single by Conlan Haar brought in Curry to make it 1-0 for the Express. Benny Lehman then doubled home both Wieter and Browne to give Aviston a 3-0 lead.

Pitcher Rowdy Sussenbach shut down the Legionnaires the rest of the way, picking up the win as the Express won 3-0.

Calvert, Stephan, Alex Pilger, and Dane Godar all had the hits for the Legionnaires, while Payne pitched a complete game on the mound, allowing three unearned runs on four hits, walking one and striking out two.

The Legionnaires will have a busy week, starting with home games on Monday and Tuesday at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Gordon Moore Park, meeting St. Peters, Mo. on Monday night at 7 p.m., then going up against the Express again at 8 p.m., then go on the road to play at Smithton on Wednesday, and De Soto, Mo. on Thursday, both games starting at 6 p.m. Post 126 then travels to Terre Haute, Ind. for the Midwest Invitational tournament June 20-22.

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