KIRKWOOD, Mo. - Carsen Bristow cleared the bases with a three-run double, while Nolan Parker took the win at Alton Post 126's senior American Legion baseball team held off a furious seven-run rally in the sixth inning to take a 9-7 win over Kirkwood, Mo., Post 156 9-7 in a game played Monday night in Kirkwood.
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The Legionnaires went to 13-6 on the season in holding off Kirkwood, winning their third game in the last five as the schedule turns into July on Tuesday night.
Alton got on the board first in the top of the second inning, starting with an Ayden Calvert lead-off double. Courtesy runner Marcus Payne went to third on a wild pitch, and after Logan Bogard drew a walk, scored on another wild pitch, making it 1-0. Bogard stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Ryan Lowis to give Post 126 a 2-0 advantage. Kadin Carlisle and Dane Godar singled to load the bases, but a pop out ended the inning.
In the third, Joe Stephan singled, Calvert drew a walk, and Kael Hester singled to left to load the bases, when Bogard walked to force home Stephan and make it 3-0. Bristow then cleared the bases with a double over the head of the right fielder, scoring three runs to double the Alton lead to 6-0. Bristow later went to third and scored on a pair of wild pitches to make it 7-0 before the inning ended.
Parker led off the sixth for the Legionnaires by reaching on an error by the shortstop, stole second, and scored on a RBI single by Calvert to make it 8-0. Hester then drew a walk, and Bogard, in as a courtesy runner, stole third and scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-0.
Those runs would prove to be the difference in the game, as Kirkwood set on a big rally in the bottom of the inning. Isaiah Cook led off with a walk, went to second on a single by Timmy Charles, and Braeden Caupp walked to load the bases. Cooper Riek forced Caupp at second, but Cook scored to make it 9-1, and one out later, the bases were reloaded when Cole Craig was hit by a pitch. Shane Delanty walked to force home Charles and cut the lead to 9-2. Sam Kestler singled home two more runs, Nick Copeland singled home another two runs, and Cook doubled home Copeland to cut the lead to 9-7 before Charles foul tipped strike three into the catcher's glove for the final out.
Kirkwood was retired in the seventh, preserving the win over the Legionnaires.
Calvert led the way for Alton with three hits and an RBI, while Lowis had two hits and a RBI, Carlisle came up with two hits, Bristow's bases clearing double was his only hit and RBIs, Godar, Stephan, and Hester all had a hit each, and Bogard drove in a run. Parker started on the mound, as was credited with the win, going five innings, allowing only one hits, while walking one and striking out three, Godar went 1.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, fanning one, and Scott Bartow gained credit for the save, throwing 0.2 innings, giving up five earned runs on only one hit, walking three and fanning none.
The Legionnaires play at home at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Gordon Moore Park Tuesday night against Maryland Heights, Mo. in an 8 p.m. start, then compete in the Danville TB24 tournament over Fourth of July weekend, playing Harrisburg at 2 p.m., then Terre Haute, Ind., at 4 p.m., then meet Rock Island Saturday at 12 noon, before playing a final game Sunday, with time and opponent to be announced.
The Legionnaires then play St. Charles, Mo., next Monday in a 7 p.m. start, then play at Washington, Mo. on July 9 and at St. Charles July 10, both games starting at 7 p.m, then conclude the regular season with a rematch against Highland Post 439 at Lloyd Hopkins Field July 14 at 7 p.m.
