TOPEKA – The Hays Eagles Senior American Legion baseball team rallied with four runs in the top of the fifth inning to erase a couple of two-run deficits and defeat the Ottawa Arrows 5-4 in their second pool play game at the Topeka Senators Tournament Saturday morning at McDonald Park. The Eagles used a five-run first inning to cruise past the Blue Springs (Mo.) Elks 12-3 in their opener.
Garrett Wellbrock started the fifth inning rally against the Arrows with a four-pitch walk then advanced to second on a balk. He scored on a Dalton Dale single. After Dale stole second, Carson Spray tied the game with a single to center. Derrick Riggs walked then advanced to second when Jack Fields reached on an error. Riggs scored the go-ahead run on Caden Morgan’s two-out single to left center. Fields scored the final run on a delayed steal.
The Arrows scored a run in the bottom of the fifth and had runners and first and third when Blake Schmidt came in and got the final out. The game was then called due to time limit.
Ottawa jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second. The Eagles scored on a fly out from Carson Spray which scored Brady Kreutzer in the third. The Arrows added another run in the fourth.
Carson Spray (1-0) picked up the win after allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits with seven strikeouts and four walks over 4 2/3 innings.
In their opener against the Blue Springs (Mo.) Elks, the Eagles scored five in the first inning then added three in the second and four in the third. The game was called after five innings by run rule.
Garrett Wellbrock went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Carson Spray also doubled and drove in two while scoring twice. Blake Schmidt knocked in two on a first inning single. Jack Fields had two hits and Brady Kreutzer tripled.
Schmidt (1-0) didn’t allow a hit over the first three innings and picked up the win. He struck out four and walked two. Jack Fields pitched the final two innings, allowing two runs with four strikeouts and one walk.
The Eagles close out pool play against the Iola Indians Sunday at 8:00 a.m. They will then play at either noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. or 6 p.m.