GODDARD – The HBC 15U Hammer ended their season Sunday with a runner-up finish in the 15/16U division of the High School Elite Series Tournament at the Genesis Sports Complex. After avenging a pool play loss to the Great Bend Bombers with a victory in the semifinals, the Hammer lost in extra innings to the Wichita Wolfpack 9-8 in the finals.
In the title game, the Hammer (14-14-1) rallied from a six-run deficit to force extra innings. They scored five in the fifth then tied the game with a run in the sixth on a Jalen Smith single.
Tournament rules have extra innings starting with one out and the last three outs from the previous inning on base.
The Hammer scored a run on a groundout. The Wolfpack tied the game with a walk then scored the winning run on a groundout.
Trace Jacobs and C Lindenmeyer both drove in two runs for Hays. Jacobs made the start on the mound and pitched three innings. Jonathan Cano pitched the final 4 1/3 innings and suffered the loss.
The Hammer finished 1-1 in Saturday’s pool play, losing 22-2 to the Great Bend Bombers then beating the Wichita Falcons 8-1. They then beat the HBC Hammer 16U 10-0 in their bracket opener Saturday night.
They knocked off the Bombers 7-6 in the semifinals. They broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the fifth and three in the top of the sixth. The Bombers scored four in the bottom of the sixth but left the tying run at second when the game ended because or time limit.
16U wins consolation bracket
The 16U Hammer (14-16-2) bounced back from their loss to the 15U with a pair if wins Sunday to win the consolation bracket. The 16U knocked off the Mulvane Wildcats 7-2 then rallied to beat the Falcons 9-6.
The Hammer trailed 6-2 in the consolation final then scored two in the fourth and three in the sixth and seventh. Dylan Haselhorst and Brett Schumacher both had three hits. Haselhorst homered and Schumacher two doubles.
Tanner Boxberger pitched four scoreless innings of relief and picked up the win.
The 16U went 1-1 in pool play before losing to the HBC 15U in the bracket opener Saturday night.
18U ends season with win
The 18U Hammer (22-14) went 1-3 in the tournament. They lost on a walkoff hit 3-2 to 316 Elite – Torres then 15-6 to the Wichita Aeros – Oldenburg in Saturday’s pool play. In bracket play, Sunday they lost 8-5 to the Wichita Aeros – Buseman-Mann then beat the Buhler National 5-3.
Carson Spray (5-1) pitched a complete game three-hitter against Buhler. Spray struck out five and walked three with all three runs unearned.
Spray also went 2-for-2 with two RBIs at the plate.
In their first game Sunday, the Hammer rallied from an early two-run deficit with three in the fifth to take a one-run lead but the Aeros scored six in the top of the seventh.
Derick Riggs and Will Cadoret both had two hits including home runs.