John Kunz Collects Three Hits, Stephan, Cordes, Sievers Have Two Hits, But Alton Senior Legion Loses 8-2 To Danville

AVISTON - John Kunz led Alton Post 126's Senior American Legion Baseball team with three hits, while three other players had two hits each, but it wasn't enough, as Danville Post 210 hit the Legionnaires with two runs in the third to take the lead, then added three more in the sixth to put the game away in a 9-2 win over Alton in the opening game of the Illinois state American Legion tournament Wednesday afternoon at Aviston.

The loss relegates Post 126 to the losers bracket, where Alton will have to win six games in a row to win the championship, while one more loss puts them out of the competition.

The Legionnaires took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but Danville tied the game in the top of the second with a single run, then scored twice in the third, once in both the fourth and fifth to extend the lead, and iced the game with a three-run sixth. Alton did counter with a run in the bottom of the third, but could not score any more as Danville took the 9-2 win to advance.

Kunz led the way for the Legionnaires with three hits, while both Dagen Cordes and Colt Sievers had two hits and an RBI each, and Joe Stephan also had two hits. Sievers started on the mound and was charged with the loss, allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits, walking three and striking out five. John Kodros pitched the sixth inning and gave up three earned runs on three hits, walking one and fanning none, and Stephan pitched in the seventh inning, not allowing a run or hit, walking one and striking out none.

Post 126 is now 19-12 on the season, and will face the loser of Carol Stream Post 70 and Galesburg Post 285 in an elimination game Thursday at 5 p.m. The winner moves on to another elimination game against either Palos Park Post 1993, Rock Island Post 200, Rantoul Post 287, or host Aviston Post 1239 Friday at 6 p.m. The tournament finals are set for Sunday at 12 noon or 2:30 p.m., if necessary.

The Illinois state winner advances to the Great Lakes regional Aug. 5-9 in Lexington, Ky., with the regional winner moving on to the 101st American Legion World Series Aug. 13-18 in Shelby, N.C.

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