SALINA – After a thrilling 5-2 semifinal win over the Kansas Scrappers, the Hays Senior Eagles ran out of gas in the finals, losing 10-0 in four innings to Millard North at the Kansas Grand Slam Wood Bat Tournament.
Millard North, who went 5-0 in the tournament and outscored their opponents 69-4, scored four runs in the second, three in the third then three in the fourth for the run-rule victory at Dean Evans Stadium.
The Eagles (12-2) were held to a pair of singles from Carson Jacobs and Josh Haynes.
Colby Dreiling pitched a scoreless first but suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on nine hits over three innings.
Millard North has now won two straight and eight of the last 10 Kansas Grand Slam titles. The only runs scored on them were by the Eagles during pool play on Friday.
Carson Jacobs pitched a gem and the Eagles were stellar defensively in their semifinal win over the Scrappers at James Matson Field. The TMP-Marian senior went the distance, allowing two runs on four hits with 10 strikeouts and five walks. He also led the Eagles at the plate collecting three hits.
Hays took a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh when Topeka scored on a one-out single and sacrifice fly but Jacobs got a strikeout with a runner at second to end the game.
The Eagles grabbed the early lead with a run in the top of the first on a Brock Lummus single. The game stayed that way until the fourth when Brady Kreutzer drove in Dawson VonFeldt on a groundout in the fourth.
The Eagles added three insurance runs in the sixth. After VonFeldt opened the inning with a double, he scored on Dalton Dale’s single to center. Dale later scored on a passed ball then Carson Jacobs base hit to left scoring Garrett Wellbrock who reached on a walk.
The Eagles return to action Tuesday against another Nebraska team. Their doubleheader with McCook begins at 5 p.m. at Larks Park.
Jr. Eagles go 0-4
After going 0-3 in pool play, the Junior Eagles lost 7-4 to the Salina Eagles in their consolation game Sunday.
Omaha Sportclips defeated the Salina Hawks 19-3 in the title game.