Groppel Strikes Out Eight, But Junior Legion Post 126 Loses To Wow Factor Of O'Fallon 5-0
Max Laird, Chris Rayfield and Zach Thornton each collect two hits.
O'FALLON, Ill. — Fletcher Groppel struck out eight over five innings Sunday morning, June 21, 2026, but Alton Post 126 was held to four hits and lost 5-0 to the Wow Factor under-16 team of O'Fallon in the final game of a tournament at O'Fallon Family Sports Park.
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The defeat ended a three-game unbeaten streak for the junior American Legion team and moved Post 126 to 11-6-1 on the season.
Wow Factor scored once in the first inning, added three runs in the fourth, and scored once more in the fifth to secure the shutout.
Max Laird collected two hits for Alton, while Chris Rayfield and Zach Thornton had the other two hits.
Groppel took the loss despite allowing five runs, one earned, on nine hits. He walked none and struck out eight in five innings. Will McCormick pitched the final two innings for Post 126, allowing no runs and no hits while walking none and striking out four.
On Friday, June 19, 2026, Alton played Wow Factor to a 7-7 tie after the O'Fallon-based team scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning. Extra innings were not played.
Post 126 returns home Tuesday to face Jerseyville Post 492 at 6 p.m. Alton is then off until Monday, June 29, when it hosts Washington, Mo. Post 218 at 6 p.m.
Alton will then play in the Play 9 tournament over the Fourth of July weekend, with games scheduled for 5 p.m. on July 3 and noon on July 4 and 5. Opponents have not been determined.
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