OMAHA, Neb. - The Jefferson City Post 5 American Legion Seniors lost in bracket play Sunday afternoon, falling 7-4 to Moorhead, Minn., in the semifinals of the Battle of Omaha.
The Post 5 Seniors finished the tournament with a 5-1 record and placed in the top 4 of the 42-team tournament field.
Jefferson City scored all of its runs in the first four innings. Jacob Weirich hit a leadoff home run to right field in the bottom of the first inning to give Post 5 a 1-0 lead.
Devin Masek scored on an interference call in the third and Gaven Strobel hit a sacrifice fly to score Weirich, allowing Post 5 to retake the lead at 3-2.
Moorhead scored five runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead back for good. Brandon Williams hit an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning to make it a three-run game.
Jason Rackers and Williams each had two singles to lead Jefferson City. Zach Stiles and Ryan Paschal each had one single.
Skyler Dickneite took the loss on the mound, allowing seven runs (four earned) on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts in four innings. Rackers pitched the final three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three.
After finishing 4-0 in pool play to win the Burke Division, Jefferson City routed the Kokomo (Ind.) Saints, the Roncalli Division champion, 11-1 to open bracket play Sunday morning.
Post 5 scored eight runs in the fourth inning to put the game well out of reach. Strobel had a two-run double and Weirich and Brandon Williams each had a two-run single in the frame.
Weirich, Strobel, Williams and Thomas Verslues each drove in two runs. Stobel added a single for a multi-hit game and Williams and Verslues each had two singles. Stiles also had a double.
Weirich pitched a three-hitting in the five-inning game stopped early by run rule. He allowed one run, walked three and struck out five in the win.
Bellevue West (Neb.) won the Battle of Omaha, beating Moorhead 6-5 in Monday's championship game.
The Post 5 Seniors (12-4) will play in the Firecracker Tournament starting Saturday at Edwardsville, Ill.