2016 Northeast Kansas League Legion Baseball Standings - click here

2016 McDonald's "Players of the Game" on KNZA - click here

2016 AAA State Tournament Bracket (at Great Bend) - click here (Oskaloosa)

2016 AA State Tournament Bracket (at Fort Scott) - click here (Doniphan County) 

The legion season came to an end on Saturday for Doniphan County at the AA State tournament in Fort Scott falling in an elimination game to Russell 6-5 eight innings.

Looking to stay alive at the State tournament Doniphan County took the initial lead producing three runs in the top of the third inning all with two-outs using three hits and two walks to lead 3-0 early. Russell broke through in the fourth inning with three singles to start the inning and scored two runs making it 3-2 Doniphan County after four innings. The lead changed hands in the fifth as Russell sent nine guys to the plate capitalizing on three Doniphan County errors to score three runs and lead 5-3 after five. 

Doniphan County didn't go away quietly as they fought back scoring a run in the top of the seventh as Brody Winder had an RBI sacrifice fly bring Doniphan County to within one run of Russell. Down to the final out in the top of the seventh Nathan Gaarder delivered an RBI double with two-outs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 5-5 scoring Tyler Franken who led the seventh off with a single. Russell got a pair runs in the bottom of the seventh but Doniphan County held the tie to force extra innings. After a scoreless top of the eighth for Doniphan County, Russell worked the bases loaded with nobody out but Doniphan County responded with two force outs at home. But with two outs in the bottom of the eighth Russell got an RBI single to earn the walk off 6-5 win ending Doniphan County's season. 

Gaarder tossed seven and two-thirds innings in the loss giving up six runs on seven hits, four walks, a hit batter and struck out 10, while going 2-3 at the plate with a double, two RBI's, a run scored and hit by pitch earning him McDonald's "Player of the Game" on KNZA. Tucker Morris finished 2-4 in the contest, while Cade Wendt, Franken and Cuttar Huss each registered a hit, along with Wil Smith and Reid Greaser each drawing two walks apiece. 

The loss gave Doniphan County a third place finish at the AA legion State tournament their best finish since 2010, as the team posted a 31-4 record on the season going 2-2 at State.