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TRENTON - Harrisburg Post 167 was held to just one hit, but scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning, and made the runs stand up as Harrisburg's junior American Legion baseball team defeated Alton Post 126's under-16 red team 2-1 in the Fifth Division tournament Saturday evening at Trenton Community Park.
The loss relegates the junior Legionnaires to the losers bracket, where they will now have to win three straight games to win the championship and advance to next week's state tournament.
Harrisburg scored their two runs in the bottom of the fourth, with Alton getting a run back in the top of the fifth. That would be all the scoring in the game, as Harrisburg's pitching held Alton to four hits, as B. Nyberg struck out five in pitching a complete game to allow Harrisburg to advance to the final.
Joe Stephan had two hits for the junior Legionnaires, with both Logan Hickman and Reid Murray having the other hits, while Cooper Harris had the only RBI. Hickman was magnificent on the mound, throwing a complete game himself, allowing two runs, both unearned, on only one hit, walking two and striking out 14.
Alton is set to play in the loser's bracket final on Sunday morning, with the championship series set for Sunday afternoon in Trenton, Post 126 needing to win twice to take the championship and advance to the state tournament. The state meet will be held July 24-28 at Jersey Community Middle School in Jerseyville.
