Valmeyer Jr. Legion wins district title
It was a hot day for baseball Saturday at Borsch Park in Valmeyer, but it always feels better when you win.
The Valmeyer Post 901 Junior American Legion baseball squad did just that, taking down Alton in a best-of-three championship series to win the District 22 Tournament title.
Post 901, with an overall record of 15-7 on the season, advances to the Fifth Division Tournament, where it will play Wednesday at Steeleville.
Valmeyer went 10-0 in league play this summer.
In game one on Saturday – an 8-2 win – Elijah Miller pitched three and two-thirds scoreless innings in relief of starter Luke Blackwell to earn the mound victory.
The Post 901 offense was led by Dylan Minemann, who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs, and Landon Roy, who went 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs.
In game two – a 4-1 win – Minemann pitched a complete game two-hitter.
Lucas Schwartzkopf went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI to pace the Post 901 offense. Evan Dressel added an RBI double for Valmeyer.
Miller, a senior-to-be at Valmeyer High School who played well for the Pirates this past spring, led Post 901 in hitting during the regular season with a .479 average.
Next in hitting was Red Bud High School senior-to-be Noah Gantner at .475, followed by Red Bud junior-to-be Minemann at .375 and Valmeyer junior-to-be Jake Killy at .333.
Valmeyer opens the Fifth Division tourney against Trenton on Wednesday. With a win, Valmeyer would take on Steeleville on Thursday.
Other teams in this tourney are Breese Grey, Alton, Orient and Harrisburg.
If Valmeyer should advance out of the Fifth Division tourney, it would play in the state tournament taking place at the end of this month.