Alton Post 126 Battles to Runner-Up In Danville TB24 Tournament

TILTON - The Alton Post 126 American Legion baseball team finished second in the Danville TB24 Fourth of July tournament on Sunday, July 6, 2025, winning its semifinal game in a come-from-behind 4-3 win over Rock Island Post 200 to go through to the tile game, where the Legionnaires lost to Wayne Newton Post 346 of Terre Haute, Ind., 7-5 at Tilton Ballpark in Tilton, located just outside of Danville.

Alton took the lead against Rock Island in the bottom of the second, on a two-out double by Drake Champlin, a Nolan Parker single that sent Champlin to third, and an RBI single by Carsen Bristow to give the Legionnaires a 1-0 lead. Rock Island tied the game in the top of the fourth, starting with a lead-off double by Alex Churchill, going to third on a sacrifice by Will Bowers, who reached on an error on the play. With two out, Churchill and Bowers executed a double steal, with Churchill scoring to tie the game at 1-1. A pickoff at first base ended the inning.

In the top of the fifth, Rock Island took the lead on a one-out single by Aidan Brokaw, a pop fly single by Gavin Awbrey, and an RBI single by Churchill and an error by the left fielder that allowed both Brokaw and Awbrey to score to make it 3-1. In the bottom of the fifth, Champlin hit a 1-0 pitch over the center field fence for a lead-off homer to cut the deficit to 3-2, after which Parker singled, went to second on an error, advanced to third on a fly out by Bristow, and scored to tie the game on an RBI single by Kadin Carlisle at 3-3.

Post 126 won the game in the sixth, starting with a lead-off single by Dane Godar, then stole second with one out, went to third on a fielder's choice to third, beating the throw to third, and after a walk to Logan Bogard, scored the eventual winning run on a wild pitch to give the Legionnaires the 4-3 win.

Champlin led Post 126 with two hits, including his solo homer, and an RBI, while Parker had two hits, Bristow and Carlisle had a hit and RBI each, and both Godar and Joe Stephan each had a hit. Ryan Lowis went all the way on the mound, and was credited with the win, going the full six innings, allowing three unearned runs on five hits, walking three and striking out one.

In the final against Terre Haute, the Legionnaires scored first in the top of the first, starting with lead-off walks to Godar and Ayden Calvert, with Godar scoring on an error by the second baseman, courtesy runner Landon Sitze going to third on the play, Kael Hester then drew a walk, and Bogard singled home Sitze to give Alton a 2-0 lead. Terre Haute rallied in the bottom of the inning, starting with back-to-back singles by Dallas Coleman and Noah Fields. With one out, Ty Stultz singled home Coleman to make it 2-1 for Alton, then D. Morrison singled home Fields to tie the game 2-2, then Terre Haute went ahead 3-2 on a RBI single by Issak Osborne to score Stultz.

Alton tied the game in the second, all with two out. Godar and Calvert drew walks, and Stephan singled home Godar to make the score 3-3. In the home half, Tristan Deal walked to start the inning, stole second, and went to third when Fields reached on a dropped third strike. Russell Harper's sacrifice fly to center scored Deal to give Post 346 the lead back at 4-3.

Again, the Legionnaires fought back to tie the game in the fourth. With one out, Carlisle was hit by a pitch, stole second, went to third on a ground out by Godar, and scored on a Calvert double to left, retying the game at 4-4. Terre Haute took the lead again in the fifth, starting with a lead-off double by Harper, who scored on an RBI single by Stultz, who went to second on an error, making the score 5-4.

Terre Haute extended its lead in the sixth, starting with a one-out double by Sam Swaim, going to third on a base hit by Deal. On the play, Swaim went in to score and Deal went to third, where he scored on a sacrifice fly by Coleman to make the score 7-4. In the top of the seventh, Stephan led off with a walk, went to second on a Bogard single, advanced to third on a wild pitch, with Bogard going to second, then Stephan scored on a sacrifice fly by Champlin to make it 7-5. That would be as close as the Legionnaires would come, as Terre Haute slammed the door on Alton to take the win.

Bogard had two hits and a RBI in the final for the Legionnaires, while both Calvert, Stephan, and Champlin all had a hit and RBI each. Parker started on the mound, and was charged with the loss, going four innings, and allowing five earned runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out three. Stephan went the final two innings, giving up two earned runs on five hits, walking one and fanning one.

Post 126 will conclude its regular season, starting with a game at home at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Gordon Moore Park against St. Charles, Mo. Monday night at 7 p.m., then play twice on the road, at Washington, Mo. Wednesday, and at St. Charles Thursday, both game starting at 7 p.m. The Legionnaires finish the regular season with a key District 22 game against rivals Highland on July 14 at 7 p.m.

The District 22 playoffs, a double elimination tournament, will be held July 17-20, with games to be played at the highest seeded teams. The winner goes on to the Fifth Division tournament July 24-27 at Trenton Community Park, the winner moving on to the Illinois state tournament July 30-Aug. 3 at Rantoul. The Illinois champions goes on to the Great Lakes regional Aug. 6-10 at Lee Pfund Stadium in Carol Stream with the regional winner going on to the 100th Anniversary Legion World Series Aug. 13-18 in its now-traditional home of Shelby, N.C.

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