AVISTON - The Alton Post 126 Senior American Legion baseball team split a pair of games on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the Aviston Post 1239 round robin tournament, losing to the host Express 5-0, but bouncing back to defeat Christian County Post 257 of Stonington, Ill., 11-2 in their second game.
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The Legionnaires took two of three in the weekend round robin, and are now 13-6 heading into the July portion of the schedule, which will include the start of the district playoffs in the middle of the month.
In the first game against Aviston, the Express took the lead early, getting a one-out first-inning triple from Rowdy Sussenbach, and a two-out RBI single by Drake Curry to put Aviston up 1-0. Bryce Wieter then doubled home Curry to increase the lead to 2-0.
In the sixth, Sussenbach led off by reaching on an error by the third baseman, stole second, and scored on a Curry triple to dead center to make the score 3-0.
A Wieter single made it 4-0, and a sacrifice fly to center by Johnny Hilmes scored the final run that made it 5-0.
Wieter held the Legionnaires in check throughout the game, retiring the first nine batters in a row, and not allowing a hit until a lead-off single in the fourth. Wieter allowed only two hits in the game, walking none and fanning five as he pitched a complete game on the mound.
Kael Hester and Ryan Lowis had the hits for Post 126, while Logan Bogard started on the mound, and was charged with the loss, giving us five runs, two earned, on eight hits, walking none and striking out two. Nolan Parker came on in relief, and went the final 0.2 innings, not allowing a hit or run, walking two and fanning none.
In the second game against Christian County, Godar led the game off by drawing a walk, and scored on a Joe Stephan double to give the Legionnaires a quick 1-0 lead. Christian County tied the game up in the second on a walk, double, and a wild pitch, but in the top of the third, Kadin Carlisle and Godar both singled to start the inning, and one out later, courtesy runner Ayden Calvert stole the plate on the back end of a double steal to make it 2-1. Stephan drew a walk, and Hester singled home two runs to make it 4-1.
In the bottom of the third, Christian County got a one out single, and a single, with the run scoring on an error to make it 4-2, but it would be as close as Christian County would come, as in the fourth, Lucas Hartman single with one out, stole second, Godar drew a walk to put runners on first and second, and Hartman scored on Nolan Parker's RBI single, with Godar also scoring on an error by the pitcher, extending the lead to 6-2. A Stephan RBI triple brought in another run and an RBI single by Hester scored Stephan to make it 8-2.
Carsen Bristow and Marcus Payne drew back-to-back walks to open the fifth, with both scoring on an excuse-me single by Godar to make it 10-2. Parker singled home Godar to make it 11-2, and it would be all the Legionnaires needed, as the game ended after the fifth with Alton taking the win.
Hester led Post 126 with two hits and three RBIs, while Godar, Parker, and Stephan all had two hits and two RBIs each, and both Hartman and Carlisle had a hit apiece. Ryan Lowis went all the way on the mound, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits, walking three and striking out 10 to gain the win.
The Legionnaires play at Kirkwood, Mo., on Monday night, starting at 5:30 p.m., then host Maryland Heights, Mo., at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Gordon Moore Park at 6 p.m, Tuesday, then play in the Danville TP24 tournament over Fourth of July weekend, in Tilton, playing against Harrisburg on Friday at 2 p.m., Terre Haute, Ind., later that day at 4 p.m., then winding up the group stage against Rock Island Saturday at 12 noon, then playing on Sunday against an opponent to be announced, with a start time also to be announced.
Alton then plays St. Charles, Mo. at Lloyd Hopkins Field July 7 at 7 p.m., then goes to Washington, Mo., for a game on July 9, also at 7 p.m.
