Jul 29, 2021

⚾ Late home run lifts Senators win over Eagles at American Legion State

Posted Jul 29, 2021 9:40 PM

PITTSBURG – Tate Schoffelman was a one-man wrecking crew for the Kansas Senators Thursday. The Washburn Rural senior had four hits and drove in eight to lead the Senators to a 10-7, eight inning win over the Hays Eagles at the State American Legion Baseball Tournament.

Schoffelman’s three-run homer off of Brady Kreutzer with one out in the eighth was the difference as the Senators (23-11) erased a 5-1 deficit for their first win in three tries against Hays this summer. Schoffelman drove in a run with a double in the third which tied the game 1-1. He latter hit a two-run double in the fifth to cut the Eagles lead 5-3. A two-run triple in the sixth gave the Senators their first lead of the game at 7-6 then his homer over the left field was ended up being the game winner.

The Eagles (19-6) used a base running blunder to turn a double-play in the second and worked out of a bases-loaded no-out jam without giving up a run in the second. They would score on a Carson Spray double to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.

The Eagles strung together four straight hits with two outs in the third to score three in the third. Brady Kreutzer started the rally with a single to left followed by a Garrett Wellbrock single to center. Dalton Dale doubled to left scoring Kreutzer and Wellbrock then Spray doubled to score Dale to put Hays up 4-1.

Kreutzer singled an inning later to score Kaden Morgan who drew a two-out walk to push the Eagles lead to 5-1.

The Senators scored two in the top of the fifth to cut the gap to 5-3. The Eagles made it 6-3 when courtesy runner Conner Dreiling scored in a safety squeeze.

Down 7-6, the Eagles tied the game on a Kreutzer single in the sixth.

Kreutzer finished 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored. Spray had two hits and two RBIs. Dalton Dale drove in a couple of runs before eventually leaving with leg cramps late in the game.

Kreutzer suffered the loss, allowing three runs on two hits in one inning of relief. Starter Carson Spray battled through a heat index of 110-degrees and allowed four runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings.

Trenton Streeter, a senior at Jefferson West HS, picked up the win in relief allowing one run on one hit over the final three innings.

The Eagles close out their season Friday against Ottawa at 12:30 p.m. The game can be heard on KFIX (96.9-FM).