SALINA – Colby Dreiling scored from first base after an errant throw to second on a potential double play ball with one out in the bottom of the fifth to lift the Hays Senior Eagles to a 10-9 win over the Hutchinson Colts to begin bracket play Saturday night at the Kansas Grand Slam Tournament.
The game was called after five innings due to time limit.
The wild finish capped a wild night which saw the Eagles (11-1) fall behind 6-0 before their first at bat. The Colts scored the six runs on only two hits but took advantage of six first inning walks.
Hays cut the deficit in half when Brock Lummus drove a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence for a three-run homer. The Eagles threatened for more but Carson Jacobs was thrown out trying to score from third on a double steal and later Garrett Wellbrock grounded into a double-play to end the inning.
The Eagles would grab the lead in the second. After back-to-back walks by Jack Fields and Brady Kreutzer to start the innings, Colby Dreiling was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Carson Jacobs hit a one-out single which scored two. Josh Haynes followed with a base hit over the first base bag to score Dreiling. Remington Cox then lined out to center, scoring Jacobs to put the Eagles up 8-7.
The Eagles tacked on another run on a throwing error in the third to build the lead to 9-7
Hutch drew five more walks in the top of the fourth and scored three runs and take the lead back at 9-8.
In the bottom of the inning, Remington Cox singled and eventually scored the tying run by stealing home.
Carson Jacobs worked around a hit batter in the top of the fifth to keep the game tied. Jacobs pitched one inning of relief and got the win.
Carson Spray, who was called up from the Junior Eagles team, entered in the first and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts and one walk to keep the Eagles in the game early.
Brady Kreutzer, Josh Haynes and Jack Fields all had two hits with Brock Lummus driving in three runs and Carson Jacobs two RBIs.
The Colts managed only three hits off four Eagles pitchers but took advantage of 11 walks.
The Eagles take on the Topeka Scrappers in Sunday’s semifinals at 3 p.m. at James Matson Field. The Scrappers won their pool and are 3-0 in the tournament with shutout wins over Hutchinson and Great Bend and a 10-2 victory over the Wichita Sluggers.