Mattoon Firecracker Classic Opens Thursday

MATTOON -- The 34th Annual Senior American Legion Mattoon Post 88 Firecracker Baseball Classic will open play Thursday.

In Pool A are Shelby County Post 289 (Strasburg) 611 (Stewardson) 725 (Windsor), Mattoon Post 88, Crawfordsville, Ind. Post 72, Ford/Iroquois Post 432 and Olney Post 30.

In Pool B are Elgin Post 57, Lincoln Post 263, Clay County, Ind. Post 2, Champaign Post 24 and Charleston Post 93.

In Pool C are Teutopolis Post 924, Piatt County, Decatur Post 105, Rantoul Post 287 and Moline Post 246.

The Classic will be played at three different locations, Grimes Field, Lake Land College and Mattoon High School.

Following are the pairings:

THURSDAY

Grimes Field

Game 1 -- Charleston vs. Champaign, 1 p.m.

Game 2 -- Ford/Iroquois vs. Olney, 3 p.m.

Game 3 -- Elgin vs. Lincoln, 5 p.m.

Game 4 -- Mattoon vs. Crawfordsville, Ind., 7 p.m.

Lake Land College

Game 1 -- Piatt County vs. Decatur, 2 p.m.

Game 2 -- Rantoul vs. Moline, 4 p.m.

FRIDAY

Grimes Field

Game 1 -- Charleston vs. Lincoln, 9 a.m.

Game 2 -- Mattoon vs. Shelby County, 11 a.m.

Game 3 -- Clay County vs. Elgin, 1 p.m.

Game 4 -- Decatur vs. Moline, 3 p.m.

Game 5 -- Crawfordsville vs. Shelby County, 5 p.m.

Game 6 -- Mattoon vs. Olney, 7 p.m.

Lake Land College

Game 1 -- Teutopolis vs. Decatur, 7 a.m.

Game 2 -- Rantoul vs. Piatt County, 11 a.m.

Game 3-- Ford/Iroquois vs. Crawfordsville, 1 p.m.

Game 4 -- Lincoln vs. Champaign, 3 p.m.

Mattoon High School

Game 1 -- Piatt County vs. Teutopolis, 5:30 p.m.

Game 2 -- Champaign vs. Clay County, 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

Grimes Field

Game 1 -- Moline vs. Piatt County, 9 a.m.

Game 2 -- Rantoul vs. Teutopolis, 11 a.m.

Game 3 -- Charleston vs. Clay County, 1 p.m.

Game 4 -- Decatur vs. Rantoul, 3 p.m.

Game 5 -- Moline vs. Teutopolis, 5 p.m.

Game 6 -- Mattoon vs. Ford/Iroquois, 7 p.m.

Lake Land College

Game 1 -- Shelby County vs. Ford/Iroquois County, 9 a.m.

Game 2 -- Olney vs. Crawfordsville, 11 a.m.

Game 3 -- Champaign vs. Elgin, 1 p.m.

Game 4-- Olney vs.Shelby County, 3 p.m.

Mattoon High School

Game 1 -- Lincoln vs. Clay County, 5:30 p.m.

Game 2 -- Elgin vs. Charleston, 7:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

Grimes Field

Game 1 -- Seed 1 vs. Wild Card, 10 a.m.

Game 2 -- Seed 2 vs. Seed 3, noon

Game 3 -- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 2 p.m. (championship)