Herrin eliminates Steeleville from 5th Division senior tournament

For the third time in two weeks, Herrin Post 645 defeated Steeleville on July 19, eliminating Post 480 from the American Senior Legion 5th Division Tournament in Highland.

Herrin jumped out to a 7-3 lead after three innings, and scored seven runs in the top of the seventh as part of a 18-3 win.

"It was just a rough game," said Steeleville coach Bill Grafton. "It's been a long season and we just didn't have the pitching."

As it did during its previous games against Herrin in the 25th District tournament, Steeleville had only nine players available, five of whom pitched in the contest.

R.J. Smith started the game for Post 480 and lasted two innings, with reliever Owen Gross taking over in the third and lasting until the sixth.

"You can't go to one of those tournaments and compete with nine guys, you just can't do it," Grafton said.

Herrin took advantage of 13 walks and one hit batsman in the contest, but also left 15 runners stranded. Post 645 outhit Steeleville, 16-5, and scored in every inning except the fourth.

Alex Jines led Post 480 with a 2-3 performance, including two doubles and an RBI. Steeleville saw its season end with a record of 15-9 and could return Gross, Smith and Dusty Sutton in 2018.

Catcher Andrew Grafton will be four days too old to make the age cutoff of 19 next season.

"They did all they could do, I couldn't have asked more of the kids," Grafton said. "They played multiple positions throughout the year and that's what it takes to be successful."