ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Sunday didn't start out so well for the Jefferson City American Legion Post 5 Seniors, but it ended in fine style.
Needing just one win against O'Fallon West to win the championship of the Zone 1 Tournament at Lindenwood University, Post 5 dropped a 12-0 decision.
But since it was the local team's first loss in the double-elimination event, Post 5 had one more shot at it.
And it made the most of it.
Post 5 won the second championship game 14-12 to earn a spot in the four-team state tournament that will take place Thursday through Saturday at Sedalia.
In the opener, West scored four runs in the top of the first to take control early. It added two in the third, one in the fifth, two in the sixth and three in the seventh to end the game early by run rule.
Cole Distler totaled two of the four hits for Post 5 in the contest.
Austin Sachse started and took the loss, giving up nine earned runs on 10 hits and five walks in 51/3 innings. He struck out one. A.J. Elsworth finished the game, allowing three earned runs on three hits and one walk while striking out one in 12/3 innings.
In the nightcap, Post 5 jumped ahead 7-0 after two innings and held on, despite giving up six runs in the top of the ninth.
The local club led 9-1 after three innings before West got two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to make it 9-5. Post 5 got two runs in the bottom of the fifth and each team scored one in the seventh to make it 12-6.
Jefferson City then got two in the eighth before West's big ninth inning.
Post 5 outhit West 16-10 in the victory.
Dylan Brauner had three hits and three RBI for the winners, while Logan Bax had three hits and two RBI. Elsworth chipped in with two hits and two RBI, Corey Beard had two hits and one RBI, Todd Buschjost had two hits, Cody Stegemann added a triple and two RBI, and Sachse had one hit and one RBI.
Distler worked the first five innings to pick up the victory, allowing five earned runs on four hits and four walks while striking out seven.
Buschjost followed with seven earned runs on six hits and five walks in 31/3 innings. He struck out two.
Stegemann got the final two outs to pick up the save and send the Post 5 Seniors to the state tournament.