BLUE SPRINGS - The Jefferson City American Legion Post 5 Seniors finished 1-1 in pool play Thursday at the Fike Senior Wood Bat Tournament.
Post 5 dropped its first game of the day 2-1 to Elsberry Post 226, then routed the Odessa Post 286 Bulldogs 8-0 to improve to 2-1 in Pool E.
Jefferson City scored its only run against Elsberry in the top of the first inning. Jason Rackers reached on a two-out single, scoring Brandon Williams to make the score 1-0.
Elsberry countered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth off Post 5 pitcher Ryan Paschal, who allowed three hits and one walk in four innings. Paschal struck out seven in the loss.
Hayden Hirschvogel pitched two scoreless innings of relief, giving up one hit and striking out two batters.
Post 5 had eight hits in the game but stranded 11 runners on base, leaving the bases loaded in the third. Jefferson City left the tying run on third base to end the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Jonathon Backes went 3-for-4 with three singles to lead Post 5, while Williams had one single and one double.
Post 5 used a four-run second inning to pull away from Odessa in game two. Jefferson City had three straight doubles in the inning. Williams' two-run double made the score 3-0, while back-to-back doubles by Backes and Rackers made it a five-run lead.
Jefferson City added a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to win in five innings.
Backes finished the game with two doubles and two RBI, while Rackers and Parker Schnieders each had one single and one double. Hirschvogel added a pair of singles and Williams and Rackers each drove in two runs.
Logan Bexten pitched a two-hit shutout for Post 5, striking out six in the win.
The Post 5 Seniors (17-7) will wrap up pool play today, playing the Outlaws at 1:30 p.m.