DANVILLE - The Alton Post 126 junior American Legion baseball team jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, but Fifth Division champions Trenton rallied back to take the lead, seeing a late Alton rally fall short as the Junior Legionnaires were eliminated by Trenton 8-7 in a losers bracket game in the Illinois State tournament Friday evening at Danville.
It was Alton's second straight loss in the tournament, knocking them out after having lost their opener to Palos Heights of suburban Chicago on Thursday.
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The Junior Legionnaires had gone out in front early on, scoring once in the top of the first inning, then scoring four more times in the second to take a 5-0 lead. Trenton countered with four of their own in the home half of the second to cut the lead to 5-4, but Alton scored a single run in the top of the fourth to take a 6-4 lead. Trenton took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the inning, then scored a single run to take an 8-6 lead.
Alton rallied with a run in the seventh, but came up short as Trenton won 8-7, eliminating the Junior Legionnaires. Alex Siatos and Seth Slayden led the Alton offense with two hits and an RBI each, while Lucas Moore had two hits in the game, both Ashton Schepers and Joe Webb each had a hit and two RBIs, Reece Girth had a hit and drove home a run and both Logan Bogard and Max Holmes each had a hit.
Slayden started on the mound for Alton, and pitched five innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits, walking four, and striking out three, while Tyler Robinson threw the sixth inning, not allowing a hit or a run while walking one and fanning two.
Trenton advances to another elimination game against either the host Danville team, Palos Heights or Wheaton on Saturday, with the winner going on to the losers bracket final later that afternoon.
The finals are set for Sunday, with the winners' bracket champion only needing to win once to claim the state title. Alton's successful season comes to a close with the loss.
