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SMITHTON - Joe Stephan, Kael Hester, and Lucas Hartman all had two RBIs each, while three pitchers combined to hold Smithton to two hits in total, as Alton Post 126's senior American Legion baseball team hit Smithton with a nine-run fifth to take an 11-0 District 22 win at Smithton City Park on Wednesday evening, June 18, 2025.
The Legionnaires stay undefeated in district play, and are now 8-1 overall this season, after having won over the Aviston Post 1239 Express the night before, two days after the Express dealt Alton its first loss of the summer.
Post 126 took an early lead in the second, starting when Ayden Calvert reached second on an error by the shortstop, and two outs later, came home on an RBI single by Alex PIlger to make it 1-0, with Pilger going to second on the throw to the plate. Dane Godar doubled home Pilger immediately after to double the lead to 2-0. Godar was thrown out at the plate on an infield single by Marcus Payne, ending the inning and keeping the score at 2-0.
The Legionnaires broke the game open in the fifth, starting when Calvert led off with a double to left, stole third, and scored when the catcher's throw got away for an error, making it 3-0. Logan Bogard singled, and was doubled home by Ryan Lowis to make it 4-0. Godar was hit by a pitch, and Payne drew a walk to load the bases, after which a Hartman double down the left field line scored both Lowis and Godar to make the score 6-0.
Payne later scored on a wild pitch, with Hartman going to third. Two outs later, a triple by Stephan scored two runs to make it 9-0, and Hester hit a two-run homer over the fence in left, scoring Stephan ahead of him and making the score 11-0. Smithton was retired in the bottom of the inning, with Alton taking the 10-run rule decision.
Stephan had two hits and two RBIs for the Legionnaires, while Hester's homer was his only hit and RBIs, Hartman also had a hit and two RBIs, Lowis, Pilger, and Godar all had a hit and RBI each, and Calvert, Bogard, and Kadin Carlisle all had hits. Stephan started on the mound, and went for one inning, walking one and striking out one, while Pilger went for three innings, and was credited with the win, not allowing a hit, but walked six and struck out none, and Godar pitched in the fifth, fanning two.
The Legionnaires are set to play at De Soto, Mo, Thursday night, then will compete at the Midwest Invitational tournament this weekend in Terre Haute, Ind. After playing in an Illinois Prep Baseball event on Monday, Post 126 returns to District 22 play that night against Marissa at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Gordon Moore Park, then host Eureka, Mo. on Tuesday, both games starting at 8 p.m.
