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The Northeast Kansas League legion baseball tournament action rolled along on Monday night with the Semifinals as Atchison and Seneca squared off and Doniphan County took on Hiawatha. Both games continued the trend of the tournament in being run-rule shortened affairs as Seneca won 12-2 in four innings over Atchison and Doniphan County beat Hiawatha 10-2 in five innings to earn a spot each in the NEKL tournament Championship. 

Due to the weather changing the schedule of the NEKL tournament the Championship for the second straight year will be played at a later date as the Seneca and Doniphan County will decide the NEKL tournament Championship on June 24th in Wathena at 6:00pm in the first game of their scheduled double header that night. (The game will broadcasted on 103.9 KNZA & 92.1 KMZA) 

Seneca Uses Big Third Inning to Top Atchison

The offense got rolling again for Seneca as they in NEKL tournament action as they used a big eight-run third inning to earn the four inning run-rule 12-2 win over Atchison in the Semifinals of the tournament on Monday night.

Cody Rottinghaus started the game on the mound for Seneca and was dialed in as he struck out the side in the top of the first inning, while in the bottom of the first Seneca used four hits and a walk to score four and take the early 4-0 lead; RBI hits by Andrew Oller, Dustin Rottinghaus and Kurtis Niehues highlighted the inning. Atchison looked to finally start to break through in the third as they scored twice on two walks, an error and their first hit in the game a two RBI single by Lane Fry, making it 4-2 going into the bottom of the third. In the bottom of the third things broke open for Seneca as they used five hits and five walks to score eight runs and take firm control of the game. Rottinghaus after giving up a leadoff single to Atchison the top of the fourth shut the door and Seneca earned the 12-2 win.

Cody finished the game holding Atchison to two runs on two hits and three walks, while striking out six for the win and offensively drew two walks with a run scored and RBI to earn McDonald's "Player of the Game" honors on Kanzaland radio. Devin Henry and Andrew Oller each went 2-2 for Seneca each drawing a walk, also.

Chase Behler took the loss on the mound for Atchison going two and one-third innings giving up eight runs on seven hits and three walks, striking out two, while Fry and Cole Siebenmorgan mustered the only hits for Atchison in the game.

The loss moves Atchison to 3-1 on the season, while Seneca improved to 3-1 on the year with the win. Both teams now turn their attention to action on Wednesday in regular season play as Atchison travels to Oskaloosa for a double header and Seneca hosts Sabetha for a double header. (6:00pm game of Sabetha at Seneca will be broadcasted on 92.1 KMZA) 

Strong Pitching and Offensive Muscles Doniphan County Past Hiawatha

It was the right recipe of strong pitching and offensive for the second straight game for Doniphan County to push them to their fourth straight win as they topped Hiawatha 10-2 in five innings in the Semifinals of the NEKL tournament on Monday.

Doniphan County struck first with two runs in the bottom of the second inning off RBI hits from Cooper Leach and Jeffrey Watts and then added another run in the third to make it 3-0 after three. Hiawatha got right back into the contest in the top of the fourth despite not even getting a hit as they used a pair of walks, hit batter, wild pitch and an RBI groundout by Andrew Lierz to make it 3-2 going into the bottom of the fourth, when Doniphan County regained firm control. Behind five hits and five walks Doniphan County posted five runs in the fourth to lead 7-2, as a two RBI double by Nathan Gaarder and two-run homer from Phoenix Keller highlighted the inning. After Watts continued his dominate pitching in the top of the fifth, Doniphan County got a two RBI double by Keller to end the game in the bottom of the fifth by run-rule, winning 10-2.

Watts was dialed in early hitting a no-hitter, but did give up two runs on four walks and a hit batter, while striking 11 for the second time this season. Jeffrey added a 2-3 offensive performance with an RBI and run scored to earn himself McDonald's "Player of the Game" honors on Kanzaland radio. Tucker Morris, Chris Winkel and Keller each finished with multi-hit games, as Morris was 2-3 with two doubles and an RBI, Winkel finished 2-3 with a double, walk and two runs scored and Keller was 2-4 with a two-run homer, double, four RBI and a run scored.

Hiawatha was unable to register a hit in the game but Lierz in his only at bat got the lone RBI of the game and Marshall Swearingen and Shawn Green each scored a run in the contest.

With the loss Hiawatha falls to 1-3 on the year, while Doniphan County improved to 4-1 on the season with the win. Both teams are back in action on Wednesday in non-league play as Hiawatha travels to Falls City (NE) for a double header and Doniphan County travels to Silver Lake for twin bill.