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2015 League Standings & Full Schedule - click here
2015 McDonald's "Player of the Game" Honors on KNZA & KMZA - click here
Class AAA Zone Tournament bracket (at Atchison) - click here
Class AA Zone Tournament bracket (at Sabetha) - click here
Class AA Zone Tournament bracket (at Marysville) - click here
Class A (Junior Legion) State Tournament (at Salina) - click here
Zone tournament action rolled along on Wednesday night in legion baseball and several Northeast Kansas League teams were in action and five remain alive in postseason play, with one other seeing their season come to an end.
In Sabetha at Somerset Park it was a night full a bit of everything from offense, pitching, defense and even a power outage at the ballpark. The night started off with Hiawatha keeping their season alive by using a late game burst of offense to secure a 10-5 win over Sabetha, eliminating Sabetha from the Zone. In the winner's bracket game it was Doniphan County squaring off with Seneca and jumping up early Doniphan County did not look back as they secured the 7-1 over Seneca to move one win away from a Zone title and trip to the AA State tournament in Colby. Seneca remains alive but moves into a match up with Hiawatha on Thursday night at 6:00pm in an elimination contest and the winner will then turn around and play Doniphan County, also Thursday night. (Both games will be on 103.9 KNZA & 92.1 KMZA)
The AAA Zone tourney continued in Atchison on Wednesday with a pair of NEKL teams in action in Atchison and Oskaloosa and both remained alive for action on Thursday, but did so in different fashions. Atchison started the action off last night and fell 7-5 to Ottawa in a winner's bracket contest, while Oskaloosa staved off elimination beating Pittsburg 9-3. That steps up a Atchison versus Oskaloosa elimination game on Thursday at 6:30pm in the AAA Zone. (winner will play again later that against the loser of Ottawa vs. Chanute 4:00pm winner's bracket game)
Junior legion baseball continued in Salina for the State tournament on Wednesday with two NEKL teams still alive in Doniphan County and Atchison. Doniphan County bounced back from an opening round loss to McPherson with the 11-3 five inning win over Chanute to stay alive at State, while Atchison in a winner's bracket game took an 8-1 loss from Arkansas City. That steps up an elimination game at 12:30pm Thursday in Salina between Atchison and Doniphan County in the Junior legion State tournament.
Hiawatha Stays Alive & Doniphan County Tops Seneca in AA Legion Zone Play
It was a action packed night of baseball that featured a bit of everything at Somerset Park in Sabetha on Wednesday including a power outage during the second game. The night started off with Hiawatha avoiding elimination by beating Sabetha 10-5, while Doniphan County moved one away from a Zone title by beating Seneca 7-1 in the winner's bracket.
Looking to keep their season alive Hiawatha and Sabetha took to the diamond Wednesday at Somerset Park and while it was a back and forth affair early in the game it was a six run sixth by Hiawatha that propelled them to the 10-5 win. Hiawatha struck first with a run in the top of the first inning on two hits and two errors, but Sabetha answered with two runs in the bottom of the first off a two RBI double by Kaid Allen giving Sabetha the lead. Hiawatha would tie it in the top of the second, only to see Sabetha regain the lead once again, leading 3-2 after two frames. Hiawatha would then do a majority of the scoring the rest of the game posting a run in the third and fourth to take the lead and then behind seven hits and a hit batter scored six in the sixth to hold a 10-3 lead going into the seventh. Sabetha down to their final three outs managed to tally a pair of runs in the seventh but came up short in the final frame.
Dakota Bayles led the charge for Hiawatha earning the win on the mound going all seven innings surrendering five runs (three earned) on three hits, four walks and six strikeouts, while also going 2-5 with three RBI to earn McDonald's "Player of the Game" honors on Kanzaland radio. Ryker Smith added a 3-4 performance at the plate with two RBI, while Sabetha had only three hits with Zach Burger, Allen and Nate Neihues each posting a hit.
The loss ends Sabetha's season at 10-28, while Hiawatha improved to 10-18 and remained alive in Zone tournament play.
In the nightcap it was Doniphan County versus Seneca in the winner's bracket with the winner moving one win away from earning a trip to the AA State tournament. Doniphan County took advantage of an opportunity early scoring four runs off Seneca starter, Dustin Rottinghaus in the first inning on two walks, a hit batter, error and one-hit which was a bases clearing double by Jeffrey Watts, plating three of the four runs in the inning. Nathan Gaarder then took the mound for Doniphan County with the lead and was dialed in as he went all seven innings giving up just one run on three hits, three walks, a hit batter and struck out 12. Seneca had their opportunities to score but left the bases loaded in the third and fourth inning, getting their lone run in the fourth on an RBI single by Cody Rottinghaus. Doniphan County added two runs for themselves in the fifth and another in the seventh to secure the win 7-1, in a game that feature a 20-minute plus power outage delay happening in the top of the sixth inning.
Gaarder not only pitched well but was 1-2 with a double, two RBI's, walk and hit by pitch helping him earn McDonald's "Player of the Game" honors on Kanzaland. Tucker Morris added a multi-hit game going 2-3, while Cody Rottinghaus, Devin Henry and Dalton Hiltbrand registered the only three hits for Seneca.
The win pushes Doniphan County to 27-3 on the year and only one win away from a bid to the AA State tourney in Colby, while the loss puts Seneca at 26-6 on the year.
Action in the Zone tournament continues Thursday night with Hiawatha versus Seneca at 6:00pm in an elimination game and the winner turns around and plays Doniphan County to finish the night. If Doniphan County wins they win the Zone title, if winner of Seneca/Hiawatha game beats Doniphan County another game would be played on Friday night at Somerset Park.
Atchison Falls in Winner Bracket Game, While Oskaloosa Stays Alive in AAA Zone Play
Two Northeast Kansas League teams remain alive in the AAA Zone in Atchison but it was two different outcomes to their games on Wednesday. Atchison started the night off falling to Ottawa in a tough 7-5 loss, while Oskaloosa stay alive by beating Pittsburg 9-3 in an elimination game.
It was a see-saw affair to start the night as Atchison took the early lead 1-0 after two innings against Ottawa but Ottawa tied the game in the top of the 3rd. Atchison regained the lead plating a single run in the fourth and fifth innings, but once again Ottawa tied the game scoring two in the top of the sixth. Unflapped by that Atchison responded in the bottom of the sixth with two runs to lead 5-3 going into the seventh, but Ottawa put together a four run inning and shut down Atchison in the bottom of the seventh to earn the 7-5 win. Cole Seibenmorgan took the loss on the mound for Atchison pitching all seven innings.
The loss pushes Atchison to an 11-11 record on the season.
In the nightcap Oskaloosa was looking to stay alive in the Zone tournament and that they did as they picked up the 9-3 win over Pittsburg to avoid elimination. The win gives Oskaloosa a 16-17 record on the year.
That sets up a Atchison versus Oskaloosa elimination game at 6:30pm Thursday night in Zone tournament play and the winner will then turn around and play again Thursday agianst the loser of the Chanute versus Ottawa game that is happening at 4:00pm.
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