BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HAYS – The Great Bend Legion Chiefs were one run away from reaching the Hays Wild West semifinal round. But the Chiefs stranded the game-winning runner and Northern Colorado 18 earned an 7-3 extra-inning quarterfinal victory Saturday.
The Chiefs finished with a 3-2 record to tie for fifth place in the Wild West Fest.
The Chiefs rallied to beat the Hays Junior Eagles 9-7 and Hoisington 8-6 to advance to Sunday's consolation round. The Hays Senior Eagles eliminated the Chiefs 10-2 and rolled to the championship round with wins over Northern Colorado (18) 8-6 and Northern Colorado 17. Most Valuable Player Jamison Martin threw a championship game shutout to spark the Eagles past McCook, Neb. 10-0.
The No. 2 seeded Hays Eagles (28-4) will play the Great Bend Chiefs (20-11) in the Class AAA Zone Tournament at the Great Bend Sports Complex. The No. 1 seeded Salina Falcons (25-2) advance into the first Zone championship game.
HAYS SENIOR EAGLES 10, CHIEFS 2 -- The Hays Senior Eagles dominated the Chiefs for the second time en route to the Wild West championship. The Chiefs will likely have to beat the Eagles, perhaps twice, to qualify for the AAA state Legion tournament.
The Chiefs led 1-0 when Calan Haberman scored on a first-inning error. Brady Kreutzer tripled home Cole Murphy and Dominic Bainter for a 2-1 lead after two innings. Palmer Hutchison scored on an error and Trey Riggs scored on a wild pitch for a 4-1 lead. Murphy's single scored Cody Peterson and Bainter's single scored Murphy for a 6-1 lead after 21/2 innings.
Jesus Bujanda's single scored Alex Schremmer in the third inning, but Hays pitcher Murphy struck out Colin Hall and Riley Smith to end the rally. Hutchison's double scored William Sennett for a 7-2 lead. Martin scored and Sennett's single scored Murphy for a 9-2 lead after five innings. Jamison Martin singled home Jacobs for a 10-2 run-rule victory.
CHIEFS 8, HOISINGTON 6 -- Townshend Kurth capped an eight-run first inning with a two-run double as the Chiefs held off Hoisington 8-6.
Hoisington led 3-0 when Jacob Sprecht's double scored Braxton Donovan and Kyle Lang after Colin Schlochtermeier scored on a groundout.
The Chiefs scored eight runs in the first inning. Kurth scored on a passed ball. Alex Schremmer singled home Jesus Bujanda. Riley Smith's single scored Eduardo Bujanda and Schremmer. Nahum Olivas' hit by pitch forced home Smith. Brice Kaiser scored on Calan Haberman's sacrifice fly. Kurth's double scored Colin Hall and Haberman for an 8-3 lead.
Hoisington’s Trey Byers scored on a fourth-inning groundout. Kaleb Blazek doubled home Schlochtermeier and Blazek scored on Lang’s sacrifice fly in the seventh inning for a 8-6 final.
CHIEFS 9, HAYS JUNIOR EAGLES 7 – Brice Kaiser’s bases-loaded fifth-inning triple scored Jesus Bujanda, Eduardo Bujanda and Alex Schremmer to spark a four-run inning. Kaiser scored on Colin Hall’s sacrifice fly for an 8-4 lead.
Brice Kaiser preserved an 8-7 lead when he threw out Hays baserunner Colby Dreiling at home in the sixth inning. Townshend Kurth scored a valuable sixth-inning insurance run on Eduardo Bujanda’s sacrifice fly.
The Eagles led 3-0 on three unearned first-inning runs. Dalyn Schwarz delivered an RBI single and Justice Dotts added a two-run single after two walks and an error.
The Chiefs rallied when Jesus Bujanda, Alex Schremmer and Riley Smith delivered runs batted home. The Eagles contributed three errors and Riley Smith scored on an error for a 4-3 lead.
Colby Dreiling’s RBI single scored Dawson Armstrong for a 4-4 tie. Chiefs’ catcher Colin Hall threw out Dreiling attempting to steal second base.
The Eagles rallied within 8-7 as Dawson VonFeldt scored on a sixth-inning wild pitch and Dreiling and Isaac Smith delivered RBIs.
NO. COLORADO 7, CHIEFS 3 – Eduardo Bujanda singled and Alex Schremmer reached on a bunt single in the seventh inning. But Chiefs Brice Kaiser and Colin Hall struck out to end the threat.
Northern Colorado delivered four hits after the two first runners were placed on base to break a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning off pitcher Joey Soupiset. The Chiefs’ eighth-inning fizzled when Nahum Olivas was doubled off first base on Calan Haberman’s fly out.
The Chiefs delivered eight base hits, but left five baserunners stranded in scoring position.
Townshend Kurth scored on Jesus Bujanda’s first-inning single. Cal Kaiser’s second-inning single scored Brice Kaiser, but Jesus Bujanda was retired with the bases loaded. Calan Haberman scored on a third-inning error for a 3-0 lead.
Northern Colorado scored three runs on three hits and two walks off Chiefs’ starter Colin Hall.
Chiefs second baseman Riley Smith started a pair of double plays in the first and fourth innings with shortstop Alex Schremmer.
Hays Eagles 024 121 – 10 11 2
GB Chiefs 101 000 – 2 7 3
Murphy and Harman, Lummus. Christiansen, Soupiset (3), Jesus Bujanda (5) and Hall. W—Murphy. L—Christiansen. 2B—H—Hutchison, Jacobs, Martin. 3B—H—Kreutzer.
Hoisington 300 100 2 – 6 6 5
GB Chiefs 800 000 x – 8 7 3
Blazek, Lang (1) and Specht. Eduardo Bujanda, Jesus Bujanda (3), Soupiset (6), Schremmer (7) and Hall. W—J. Bujanda. L—Blazek. 2B—GB—Kurth; H—Specht, Urban, Blazek.
Hays Junior 310 003 0 – 7 8 3
GB Chiefs 400 041 x – 9 7 2
Prescott, Murphy (6) and Cox. Kurth, Haberman (1), Schremmer (4), Brice Kaiser (7) and Hall. W--Schremmer. Sv—B. Kaiser. L--Prescott. 2B—GB—Kurth. 3B—GB—B. Kaiser
N. Colorado 000 300 04 – 7 11 1
GB Chiefs 110 100 00 – 3 8 1
Tyler, Colin (4) and Cody. Hall, Soupiset (4) and Eduardo Bujanda. W—Colin. L—Soupiset. 2B—GB—Haberman, Brice Kaiser; C—Zach, Dylan.
HAYS WILD WEST FEST
SUNDAY
CHAMPIONSHIP--Hays Senior Eagles 10, McCook, Neb. 0
SEMIFINALS--McCook, Neb. 4, Northern Colorado (18) 0
Northern Colorado (17) 9, Hays Senior Eagles 6
CONSOLATION
Hays Senior Eagles def. Northern Colorado 17
Hays Senior Eagles 8, Northern Colorado (18) 6
Hays Senior Eagles 10, Great Bend Chiefs 2
Northern Colorado (18) 11, Buhler 1
Great Bend Chiefs 8, Hoisington 6
Buhler 8, Hays-TMP 0
QUARTERFINALS
No. Colorado (18) 7, Great Bend Chiefs 3
McCook, Neb. 5, Russell 4
Hays Senior Eagles 4, Hays-TMP 3
No. Colorado (17) 4, Buhler 3
SECOND ROUND
No. Colorado (18) 3, Liberal 2
Russell 12, Norton 4
Hays Senior Eagles 8 Hoisington 5
No. Colorado (17) 3, Hays Junior Eagles 1
CONSOLATION
Great Bend Chiefs 9, Hays Junior Eagles 7
Hoisington 11, Russell 1
Buhler 8 Liberal 2
TMP 8, Norton 0
Great Bend Chiefs 8, Hoisington 6
Buhler 8, Hays-TMP 0
FIRST ROUND
Great Bend Chiefs 14, Norton 0
Buhler 8, Northern Colorado (17) 0
Hays Senior Eagles 13, Hoisington 5
McCook, Neb. 5, Liberal 2
Russell 4, Hays Junior Eagles 3
Hays-TMP 8, Northern Colorado (18) 2
