T-town Post 924 Hands Mattoon Post 88 First Loss

MATTOON -- Teutopolis Post 924 broke up Mattoon Post 88's perfect game in the fifth inning and went on to edge the homestanders 5-4 as the Senior American Legion Firecracker Baseball Classic got underway Wednesday.

Mattoon's Austin Warrem had a perfect game going until two outs in the fifth inning. Warrem got the first 14 T-town batters before Tyler Westendorf nailed a single in the fifth. Andy Borries then drew a walk in the sixth for the lone two Post 924 baserunners in the contest, until the seventh.

Mattoon had taken a 1-0 first inning lead then tacked on another run in the third. Teutopolis trailed until the top of the seventh when Borries singled and went to second on an error. T-town cut the score down to 2-1 with the bases loaded. Westendorf came to bat and nailed a three-run double and T-town pushed ahead 4-2. Borries then finished off with a triple to score Westendorf and T-town held a 5-2 lead.

It wasn't over yet as Mattoon came back with two runs in the bottom of the seventh only to fall a run short. Borries then stepped up again and got the next three batters out to put the game into the win category. Borries had 11 strikeouts and allowed only one walk and five hits.

In other opening round games, Danville blasted Moultrie-Douglas 19-2, Olney downed Robinson 10-1, Vandalia blanked Macon County 4-0 and Rantoul beat Shelby County 9-1.

Rantoul Post 287's pitcher, Marty Mennenga, threw a complete game, allowing three hits, no walks and striking out four.

Rantoul took a 1-0 lead in the second inning then had a four-run fifth, a one-run sixth and three in the seventh for a 9-1 victory. Mennenga aided his own cause with a double and an RBI.

Gunner Thies had a double while Tyler Romack had two singles for the lone three Shelby County hits.

Firecracker Classic

Teutopolis          000    000    5    --    5-4-2

Mattoon              101    000    2    --    4-5-3

WP -- Borries. LP -- Warrem.

Teutopolis Post 924 -- Westendorf, single, double, 3 RBI; Mette, single; Borries, triple, 1 RBI

Mattoon Post 88 -- Scott, single, 2 RBI; Hartbank, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Dawson, single; Price, single, 1 RBI

Rantoul Legion Post 287                                           010    041    3    --    9-11

Shelby County Legion Posts 289-611-725          000    010    0     --    1-  3

WP -- Mennenga. LP -- Ohnesorge.

Rantoul Legion Post 287 -- Flessner, single; McLain, single, double; Mennenga, double, 1 RBI; Wolken, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Vermillion, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Oliveras, single, 1 RBI; Teuber, single; Graybill, single, 1 RBI

Shelby County Legion Posts 289-611-725 -- Thies, double; Romack, 2 singles; Hutchinson, 1 RBI

Junior  Firecracker Classic

In the Junior Firecracker Classic, Moultrie-Douglas came out the champion with a 6-2 win over Mattoon No. 1.

Moultrie-Douglas beat Danville Blue 4-2 while Mattoon No. 1 won over Newburgh, Ind. 7-3 in the opening games.