FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – Ryan Best drove in three runs, while both Cullen McBride and Preston Schepers had two RBIs each, and John Durrwachter struck out five batters in relief as Alton American Legion Post 126 won its opening game of the Firecracker baseball tournament 8-2 over Manchester, Mo., Post 208 Friday morning at Moody Park in Fairview Heights.
Griffin Bianco started on the mound for Alton, allowing one hit and two runs in four innings of work before Durrwachter took over and threw the final three innings to get the save to extend the Legionnaires winning streak to six in a row.
“We did well,” said Post 126 manager Doug Booten. “We played good baseball, and everything was there. Griffin threw strikes, he threw the ball well, John did a fabulous job in relief, we hit up and down the lineup. We really did well.”
Both teams went down in order in the first inning and didn’t score in the second. Alton struck first in the top of the third when, with one out, Owen Macias walked and Jayce Maag doubled to the fence in left field, putting Macias on third. After a fly out, McBride doubled to left field to score Macias and Maag to make it 2-0 for the Legionnaires. A ground out ended the inning.
Alton then extended its lead to 3-0 in the fourth on a one-out double by Bianco, an Adam Stilts singles and a sacrifice fly to left by Schepers that scored courtesy runner Nick Rayfield. Meanwhile, Bianco pitched very well in the first three innings, getting many ground ball outs while fanning two and allowing only two walks.
Manchester got their only two runs in the bottom of the fourth, starting with an error that allowed the lead-off batter to reach, then a double put runners on second and third. A ground out to third and another ground out to second brought in both runs and a ground out to first ended the inning.
Alton got those runs back in the fifth, starting three straight one-out walks to Gage Booten, McBride and Ethan Kopsie. Best then cleared the bases with a double over the center fielder’s head to score all three runners, making it 6-2. A fly out, a walk to Stilts and another fly out ended the inning.
The Legionnaires scored their final two runs in the seventh, starting when Owen Stendebach was hit by a pitch. Nate Lemons, courtesy running for Stendebach, advanced to second and third on a pair of passed balls but was thrown out at the plate on a Best grounder to third. After a line out to short, Stilts drew a walk, then both Stilts and Best executed a double steal, with Stilts scoring and Best going to third when the throw to second went into center field. Schepers then singled home Best with the game’s final run.
Durrwachter pitched the final three innings, allowing only two walks and a hit while fanning five to earn the save in preserving the 8-2 Alton win.
The Legionnaires are now 12-5 with their six-game winning streak and will play a pair of games on Saturday, with rain forcing changes in the schedule, and also a tweak in the format for the tournament. Alton will play Jackson, Mo., at 10 a.m. on Saturday, then play McLeansboro at 4:30 p.m. to complete Group A play, with all crossover games being canceled. The three group winners, along with a wild-card team, will play in the semifinals and finals on Sunday. Booten is looking ahead to the games on Saturday.
“We need to keep doing what we’re doing,” Booten said. “It’s worked for six games, so why change it?” he said with a laugh.
