The American Legion Baseball 3rd Division Tournament begins on Wednesday at Sherrard High School. Milan Post 569 is the host for the 8-team double elimination format. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday night. The 1st and 2nd place team in the division tournament will advance to the Illinois State Tournament in Aviston, Illinois the following week.
Looking at how this year’s 3rd Division Tournament stacks up, Rock Island Post 200 is the top seed. Rock Island posted a division-best (27-6) regular season record. Galesburg Post 285 earned the 2nd seed in the tourney at (16-5). Galesburg is heading into the postseason as arguably the hottest team, winning their final six regular season games and seven of their last eight. Rock Island fell in their final regular season game, losing a tournament game in the state of Minnesota against Bemidji, Minnesota on Sunday, but have won nine of their last ten games.
Galesburg has been led by their pitching staff all summer, posting a team ERA of a very solid 2.90. Recent United High School graduate and future SCC player, Ian Leffler has yet to give up a run in his 14.2 innings on the mound. Monmouth-Roseville junior-to-be Keegan Smith has an ERA of 2.71. Galesburg graduate and Black Hawk Junior College recruit TJ Heatherly’s ERA of 1.85 was compiled in a team-leading five starts on the mound. The top half of the batting order has led Post 285’s offense. Galesburg graduate and current Lawson State Community College baseball player Tyree Taylor and United High School senior-to-be Chance Stewart have arguably been the best 1-2 hitters in the 3rd Division this entire summer. Taylor is hitting .459 and leads the team in stolen bases and runs scored. Stewart is batting .412 and is in the top-3 of nearly every offensive category for Galesburg. Hayden Ralston will be Heatherly’s Black Hawk teammate in the fall and leads the team in home runs with four. Leffler, who besides being lights-out on the mound, has hit .394 with two home runs and a team leading .697 slugging percentage. Abingdon-Avon senior-to-be Owen Timmons and Sandburg College recruit Nico Ojeda are tied for 2nd on the team in homers with three apiece.
Galesburg and Rock Island met for a double header in the first week of the season on June 13th in Rock Island, with Galesburg falling in both games, 12-2 and 8-5. Galesburg would respond to a (1-2) start to the season by winning eight of their next nine games. Post 285 head coach Andrew Thomas says the quick response of his ballclub following the sweep at the hands of Rock Island showed him early on the fight his team has.
Galesburg will open the tournament on Wednesday at 5:30 against Milan Post 569. A win by Galesburg will send them to the winner’s bracket semifinals at 3:00 on Thursday against the winner of Oneida Post 727 and Abingdon-Avon Post 381. A loss by Galesburg on Wednesday will send them to the loser’s bracket at 3:00 on Thursday, as well. Both diamonds at Sherrard High School will be used all week.
For the full interview with Coach Thomas, go to the SPORTS PODCAST section.
