Aurora American Legion League regular season champion Geneva Construction built a challenge in the semifinals by suffering a setback at the hands of A-Z Tax Service Monday.
Geneva Construction, 15-1 in the regular season, fell to Tuesday’s loser’s bracket and was eliminated in the playoffs for boys baseball teams 17 years and younger. A-Z beat Geneva, 4-3, at Solfisburg Park in Aurora Monday, when it scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Chris Cartwright hit a triple to drive in the lead run which turned into the winning run when Geneva Construction failed to score in the bottom of the seventh inning. Geneva was limited to two hits. Cartwright was the winning pitcher. Geneva had the best record in the regular season. New Life Mechanical eliminated Geneva Construction, 15-9, Tuesday evening.
Kirhofer’s Sports defeated New Life, 10-3, Monday. A-Z led Kirhofer’s 3-1 in the winner’s bracket final when Tuesday game was suspended in the fifth inning. The teams were set to finish Wednesday evening.
The championship tournament will continue Thursday at Solfisburg Park. Kirhofer’s was 12-4 in the regular season. A-Z was 9-8 in the regular season which ended last week.
Geneva Construction overcame adversity last year with an 8-8-1 regular record to win the championship as successor to the Tiger Athletic Association’s 2016 championship.
Kirhofer’s scored four runs in the second inning against New Life Mechanical Monday and five runs in the sixth inning. New Life scored three runs in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. Jacob Pavey collected two hits for Kirhofer’s, Mike Holstine drove in a run, and Anthony Martinez drove in two runs with a double.
The first round games were played Sunday at Kaneland High School, west of Elburn. New Life defeated Aurora Legion Post 84, 7-6, and A-Z Tax defeated Tiger A.A., 7-3, in first round games. Cartwright led A-Z again with two triples and three runs batted in. Alex Argueta and Bill Brown each collected two hits for A-Z. Andrew Tijerina singled to right field for New Life in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Legion Post 84. Brian Yelm had two hits for Legion Post 84.
