2014 League standings and full schedule -- click here
2014 KNZA & KMZA Legion Baseball broadcast schedule -- click here
2014 McDonald's "Players of the Game" on Kanzaland Radio -- click here

2014 AA State Tournament (at Wathena) -- Bracket click here
2014 AAA State Tournament (at Pittsburg) -- Bracket click here

The AA State Legion baseball tournament got underway in Wathena on Wednesday and it was a rough start for the Northeast Kansas League teams as Sabetha and Doniphan County both suffered opening round losses. Sabetha fell in eight innings to Larned 2-1 and Doniphan County lost to Fort Scott 7-0. While, in the other opening round games Concorida topped Silver Lake 3-1 and Ottawa cruised past Ellis 16-0 in just four innings.

The Sabetha Raptors put up a fight against Larned but ultimately couldn't grab the win. Larned started the scoring with a hit batter and two hits in the bottom of the first, using an RBI single by Camryn Bryant to take a 1-0 lead. Offensively neither team had many opportunities over the course of the next few innings, until Sabetha in the top of the sixth used a walk and two hits to tie the game at 1-1 on an RBI single by Keegan Schumann. Larned stranded the leadoff in the sixth, while Sabetha went down one-two-three in the top of the seventh, while Larned again stranded a runner in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings. In the top of the eighth Sabetha got a two-out base runner via an error but couldn't do anything, while Larned got an infield single to lead the eighth and after a sacrifice bunt got an RBI single by Landon Erway that brought in the winning run for a Larned 2-1 win. Sabetha had an opportunity to get the runner out at home but the throw was wide left to the catcher and the runner scored for Larned.

In the loss Sabetha falls to 27-16 on the season and moves to the elimination portion of the AA State bracket. Gaven Schumann took the loss on the mound going seven and one-third innings giving up two runs on seven hits, a walk and hit batter, while striking out six earning McDonald's "Player of Game" on KNZA. Offensively Taylor Bauman, Tyler Ulrich and Keegan Schumann registered the only three hits of the game for Sabetha; Ulrich notched a double in the game.

Larned was lead by the pitching of Isiah Perez who gave up just one run on three hits, two walks and struck out 14 in eight innings for the win. Jonathan Herter lead the Larned offense going 2-3, while Evan Shelton was 1-3 with a run scored, reaching on an error and was hit by a pitch. Trey Kraisinger, Bryant, Erway and Perez each had a hit, also.

For Doniphan County it was the lack of offense, free passes given up and errors that plagued them against Fort Scott in the 7-0 loss. Fort Scott jumped out to the early lead capitalizing on three walks to lead-off the game in the top of the first, getting another walk and an RBI single by Grant Goldston to score three runs and take the early 3-0 lead. The lead stretch over the course of the game with Fort Scott plating two in the third on two Doniphan County errors and a walk, added another on a solo homerun in the fourth and another in the fifth. While, Doniphan Counties offense managed only six base runners on the night with four walks, a man reaching on an error and one hit which came in the seventh inning.

Doniphan County in the loss fell to 22-10 on the season and moves to the elimination portion of the AA State bracket. Cody Israel registered the lone hit of the game for Doniphan County, earning McDonald's "Player of Game" on KNZA in the loss. On the mound Jeffrey Watts took his first loss of the season as the starter going just three innings giving up five runs (3 earned) on five walks and one hit and struck out seven. Phoenix Keller and Cooper Leach pitched the final four innings, each pitching two innings of relief.

Fort Scott was led by the pitching of Wyatt Rheel who carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh inning and finished the night giving up no runs on one hit, four walks, striking out seven strikeouts. Offensively Fort Scott managed only three hits but drew nine walks. Kaleb DeLaTorre finished the game 1-3 with two runs scored, homerun and walk, while Goldston was 1-3 with a run scored, RBI and walk and Jarrett Lyon tallied a 1-2 game with a run scored and walk.

Starting the day off was Concordia who topped Silver Lake 3-1; Silver Lake held the early lead scoring the first run of the game in the top of the first. Concordia responded with two runs in the bottom of the third taking the lead. A wild pitch, two Silver Lake errors and a Tanner Gilbert single helped Concordia take the lead. Skyler Hittle paced Concordia on the mound earning the win giving up just one run on four hits, a walk and striking out seven in seven innings, while going 1-3 offensively with a double. Conner Eilert and Drake Hake each had a hit for Concordia in the win, while Tyler Brown took the tough loss for Silver Lake pitching six innings giving up three runs on six hits, five walks and striking out five.

Ottawa routed Ellis in the other matchup on the day cruising to the 16-0 win in four innings. Ottawa posted two runs in the top of the first, then busted out for a 11 run top of the second inning. Five hits, three Ellis errors, two walks and a hit batter in the second led to the 11 Ottawa runs, as Alex Stepp blasted a grand slam in the inning. Ottawa added three more runs and earned the win as Stepp finished 2-2 with his grand slam and Greyson LaPlant was 2-3 with a two run homerun, with Conner Stepp earning the win on the mound going four innings giving up one hit, two walks and a hit batter, while striking out five. Ellis in the loss managed only four base runners, with Cole Pfiefer notching the lone Ellis hit.

With action from day one in the books that sets up action for day two to start at 10:00am in Wathena with Silver Lake against Sabetha in an elimination game, followed by Ellis versus Doniphan County in elimination, also. You can listen to both games on 103.9 KNZA and online here at MSCsports.net. In the night cap in the winner's bracket Larned with face Concordia at 6:00pm and Fort Scott will play Ottawa following that contest.