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JERSEYVILLE - Both of Alton Post 126's junior American Legion junior baseball teams fell to Jerseyville Post 498's team Tuesday at Jersey Community Middle School. The under-15 red team lost a close decision 4-3, while the under-17 navy team lost to Jerseyville 7-2.
The losses by both the young Legionnaires and the junior Legionnaires send both team to 5-3 on the still young season.
In the young Legionnaires' loss, Jerseyville took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first, but Alton scored single runs in the fourth, sixth, and seventh to take a 3-2 lead. Jerseyville came up with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the 4-3 win.
Wyatt Harris had a hit and RBI for the young Legionnaires, while Chris Rayfield, Auggie Landyte, and Clayton McCormack also had hits, and Aiden Duncan also drove in a run. Fletcher Groppel started on the mound for Post 126, and threw 5.1 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits while walking three and striking out three. Will McCormick threw the last 1.1 innings, and was charged with the loss, giving up two earned runs on three hits, walking none and fanning three.
In the junior Legionnaires' game, Jeseyville struck first with two runs in the bottom of the second to go ahead 2-0, but Alton tied the game at 2-2 with two runs of their own in the top of the third. Post 498 got the two runs back in the bottom of the third, then added two more in the fourth and a single run in the fifth to take the 7-2 win.
Evan Spurgeon led the junior Legionnaires with a hit and both of his team's RBIs, while both Logan Sherman and Jayce Steinkuhler had the other hits. Aiden Flaven was the starting pitcher, and was charged with the loss, going 3.1 innings, allowing six runs, one earned, on five hits, walking four and striking out two. Donovan Ducey pitched the final 2.2 innings, giving up an earned run on one hit, walking two and striking out six.
The young Legionnaires next play Trenton in a home-and-home series, starting Wednesday at Trenton City Park at 7 p.m., then hosting the return game Friday night at the Bethalto Sports Complex at 6 p.m. Post 126 then plays Saturday against Maryland Heights, Mo. at the Bridgeton, Mo., Metro Athletic Complex park at 1 p.m., then at Smithton June 17 at Smithton City Park at 6 p.m.
The junior Legionnaires play a pair of home games at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Gordon Moore Park Wednesday and Friday, hosting Smithton Wednesday, and Trenton on June 17, both games starting at 6 p.m., then return to the Bethalto Sports Complex to meet Kirkwood, Mo., June 18, also at 6 p.m.
In between, the Post 126 program will be saluted and honored in a pregame ceremony before the Cape Catfish-Alton River Dragons Prospect League game Thursday night, with the game set for 6:35 p.m.
