Arlington's tourney journey ends too soon

Arlington was not going to watch its two-year reign as American Legion baseball state champions end easily Saturday.

The odds of a third straight crown and ninth overall were long as it needed to beat Belleville twice on its home Whitey Herzog Field. But Arlington won the first game in the double-elimination tourney 14-2 in 7 innings and had the tying runs in scoring position in the eighth inning of the second game.

But Arlington (40-11) fell short in a 9-4 loss as Belleville (39-8) claimed its first crown since 1975 and advanced to the Great Lakes Regional in Chillicothe, Ohio.

"We battled our butts off," said Arlington assistant coach Eric Porter.

"We really put on a good run," said Arlington coach Lloyd Meyer. "I'm really proud of the kids for fighting back and playing two doubleheaders (Friday and Saturday)."

Kevin Serna just missed a homer for the cycle and reached base five times in the opener to give Arlington the hope of repeating last year when it beat Rock Island twice Saturday to win the title. Brett Kay, John Coen and Mike Toljanic had 2 hits apiece and Kyle Gaedele allowed 7 hits in 6 innings with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.

"We came out hitting the ball all over the park," Porter said. "We just came out and kept hammering away at them."

Arlington led 1-0 and 2-1 after 3 innings but had a chance for more in the first when Jason Leblebijian was robbed of a potential 2-run double when the Belleville left fielder made a spectacular catch of his hooking line drive. Belleville went ahead to stay with a 3-run fourth.

Coen's RBI single in the sixth got Arlington within 5-4 but couldn't tie it with runners at second and third and two out in the eighth. Belleville put away the game with 3 runs in the top of the ninth.

"Our pitchers battled," Porter said of Alex Lazarz, Dan Kelley and Miles Osei. "They kept us in the game.

"I told the guys we went from maybe not being the favorite in (Cook) County to being a couple of innings away from a state title. I'm pretty proud of them."

And the future looks bright with 13 players eligible to chase a fifth straight County crown and 11th in the last 12 years.

"Our younger kids improved and really played well," Meyer said. "The older kids who didn't have great high school seasons played really well and that's what it's all about. Our kids definitely improved and that's what I enjoy about it."