OAK GROVE, Mo. – The Hays Eagles Junior American Legion baseball team stunned the Hays Seniors in Sunday’s semifinals of the Hot Summer Nights Tournament only to come up short in the title game. The Junior Eagles go 1-3 at the tournament while the Senior Eagles finished 2-1.
Bradyn Dreher’s fourth inning bases-loaded double scored three and gave the Junior Eagles the lead for good.
The Junior Eagles (3-5), who didn’t score a run in two pool play losses Saturday, took advantage of eight walks against the Senior Eagles Sunday. They scored on a wild pitch to take the lead in the top of the first. Ben Krannawitter tied the game with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the inning. Garrett Wellbrock gave them the lead on a groundout out to second which scored Brady Kreutzer.
The Juniors left the bases loaded in the second before taking the lead for good in the fourth. Toby May and Cooper Sanders walked then Lex Lummus singled setting up Dreher’s key hit.
The Junior Eagles added another run on an error in the fifth.
The Seniors (5-2) scored a run in the fifth on a Brady Kreutzer groundout and had a great chance to tie in the sixth, which proved to be the final inning due to time limit.
After Dalton Dale walked to start the inning but was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a Carson Spray double. Remington Cox followed with a single which scored Spray but the Juniors turn a double-play to end the game.
Caden Morgan (1-0) allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and four walks for the win.
Dalton Dale (0-2) gave up four runs (three earned) on three hits with four strikeouts and three walks and suffered the walks.
Both teams will play in the Battle of Omaha next week.