AVISTON - Alton Post 126's American Legion baseball team was held to four hits, as Carol Stream Post 76 scored the only runs of the game in the bottom of the third to eliminate the Legionnaires 2-0 in the Illinois state tournament loser's bracket first round Thursday afternoon, July 23, 2026, at Aviston.
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The Legionnaires' season ends at 19-13 with the loss, their second straight in the double-elimination tournament.
The Thunder scored both of their runs in the bottom of the third on a one-out walk, a base hit, and another walk with two out to load the bases. An error on a grounder hit to short allowed both runs to score, eventually giving Carol Stream the 2-0 win and knocking Post 126 out of the tournament.
After a lead-off single by John Kunz to start the game, Post 76 pitching retired 12 batters in a row. The string was broken by a fifth-inning lead-off single by Dagen Cordes. The Legionnaires did threaten in the sixth, when, with one out, Kunz reached on an error, but was forced at second on a grounder hit by Joe Stephan. Abe Kribs then singled, and Jayce Steinkuehler was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but a pop out to short ended the inning.
Alton tried again in the seventh, on a one-out single by Hayden Schepers and a two-out walk to Jerald Downs, but a grounder to short ended the game in favor of the Thunder 2-0, ending Alton's season.
Kunz, Kribs, Cordes, and Schepers had the hits for Post 126 while Hayden LaPlants started on the mound and was charged with the loss, pitching five innings and allowing two unearned runs on two hits, walking four and striking out three. Tate Powell pitched the final two innings and did not give up a run or hit, walking none and fanning none.
The Legionnaires' season ends at 19-13, while Carol Stream goes on to another elimination game Friday at 5 p.m. The finals are set for Sunday at 12 noon and 2:30 p.m., if necessary.
The state winner goes on to the Great Lakes regional Aug. 5-9 in Lexington, Ky., with the regional winner advancing to the 101st American Legion World Series Aug. 13-18 in Shelby, N.C.
