OAK GROVE, Mo. – After having their game rained out on Friday night and despite being without several starters due to Hays High football camp, the Hays Eagles Senior American Legion baseball team won twice Saturday to grab the No. 1 seed for Sundayu's bracket play at the Hot Summer Night’s Tournament outside Kansas City. The Eagles defeated the KC Hitmen 3-2 then knocked off Team Warstic KC Crow 10-2.
Blake Schmidt (2-0) scattered seven hits and allowed one earned run in the Eagles opening win against the Hitmen which was called after six innings because of time limit. Schmidt struck out three and walked one.
Garrett Wellbrock put the Eagles up 2-1 with a two-run single in the third. After the Hitmen tied it in the top of the fourth, Schmidt put Hays ahead for good with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning.
Brady Kreutzer had two of the Eagles four hit with Wellbrock and Ben Krannawitter providing the others.
Brady Kreutzer’s bases-loaded triple drove in three to highlight the Eagles seven-run second in the nightcap against Team Warstic. Kreutzer, Josh Haynes and Brandon Karlin all had two hits. Karlin drove in two runs.
Starter Garrett Wellbrock (2-0), who taken out in the second after 27 pitches, scattered three hits and didn’t allow any runs. Wellbrock, Brady Kreutzer and Jack Fields were all held under 31 pitches so they would be available to throw in Sunday’s games.
The Eagles (5-1) will play the Hays Eagles Junior American Legion in bracket play Sunday at 4:00 p.m. The Junior Eagles lost 5-0 to the Hitmen and 4-0 to Team Warstic Saturday.