The Galesburg Legion Post 285 baseball team took one step closer to an Illinois state title and berth in the Great Lakes Regional in Lexington, Kentucky on Friday afternoon. Galesburg came from behind to get a thrilling 6-5 win over Danville Post 200 in the winner’s bracket semifinals in Aviston, Illinois.
Trailing 5-4 with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 5th inning, Abingdon-Avon senior-to-be Owen Timmons hit what looked to be a sure-fire double play comebacker to the Danville pitcher. His throw home garnered the first out but the subsequent throw from the catcher to first base was off the mark, sailing over the firstbaseman’s head down the right field line. Sandburg College baseball recruit Nico Ojeda scored from second base to tie the game at 5-all. Ojeda’s future teammate at Sandburg, Alfred Ayala moved up to 3rd, with Timmons reaching second. Ayala would hustle home with the eventual winning run on a wild pitch during another sandburg baseball recruit, Noah Nalley’s at-bat.
Post 285 head coach Andrew Thomas put Nalley into the game to pitch in relief of starting pitcher TJ Heatherly in the top of the 6th. He would retire all six batters he faced, two by strikeout, getting the official pitching win. Timmons and SCC baseball recruit and United High School graduate Ian Leffler each had two of the nine total hits for Galesburg in the game.
Post 285 moves to (22-6) and will play in the winner’s bracket final at 2:30 later on Saturday afternoon. A win in that one and Galesburg will play for a state title on Sunday at noon and will have to be beaten twice. A loss by Galesburg on Saturday at 2:30 puts them in the loser’s bracket final at 7:30 on Saturday night to try and get back to the championship game on Sunday
