The American Senior Legion Baseball 3rd Division Tournament continued yesterday at Sherrard High School. The tournament is down to the Final Four teams left. The top four seeds advanced to today’s games, but it wasn’t easy for any of them. In the winner’s bracket semifinals, top-seed Rock Island Post 200 walked off East Moline Post 227 in the bottom of the 8th inning, getting a 5-4 victory. Rock Island found themselved trailing 4-2 going into the bottom of the 7th before scoring a pair of runs to send the game to extras and then walking off the game with a solo run in the bottom of the 8th sending them to the winner’s bracket championship tonight.
At the same time on the second diamond at Sherrard High School yesterday, 2nd seeded Galesburg Post 285 found themselves in a 0-0 game through 7 innings. Still tied at 0 in the botom of the 8th, with runners at 1st and 3rd with two outs, Noah Nalley doubled in Chance Stewart with the winning run to send Galesburg to the winner’s bracket final tonight at 5:30. Ian Leffler pitched all 8 innings for Galesburg, giving up only 3 hits with five strikeouts.
With the 3rd Division sending two teams to the state tournament, whoever wins tonight’s game between (18-5) Galesburg and (29-6) Rock Island will automatically advance to Aviston, Illinois next week. The loser will have to win one more game today to advance.
In the losers bracket yesterday, Abingdon Post 381 stayed alive with a 2-0 win over Milan Post 569 but then fell in 8 innings to East Moline 8-7 to end their season at (5-11-1). Oneida Post 727 and East Moline Post 227 will play an elimination game today, with the winner playing the loser of Galesburg and Rock Island immediately following.
In the Junior Legion 3rd Division tournament at HT Custer Park in Galesburg, it’s down to the final two teams playing today for the chance to advance on to next week’s Illinois State Championship in Carol Stream. Galesburg and Jerseyville play with Jerseyville having to be beaten twice. Galesburg lost to Jerseyville 6-5 on Thursday but bounced back to defeat Knoxville 7-2 to get another shot at Jerseyville today.
Here’s updated tournament brackets…
