Post 88 juniors win big, lose heartbreaker

By BRIAN NIELSEN, Sports Editor bnielsen@jg-tc.com MATTOON -- After pounding out 18 hits in a win, Mattoon Post 88 fell a big hit short losing the next one Tuesday in its Junior American Legion baseball Firecracker Classic. Mattoon failed to break a tie after loading the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh inning and then Paris Post 211 scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh for an 8-7 win Tuesday at Grimes Field. Avenging an earlier doubleheader loss to Mattoon, Paris took second in Pool A and is to play at 4:45 p.m. Friday for third place in the Junior division tourney. Mattoon, which earlier Tuesday won an 11-4 game over Danville Post 210, finished 1-2 for a three-way tie with the tie-breaker leaving the tourney host third in the four-team pool. Post 88’s opponent was to be determined in Tuesday’s... [read full story]