The Emporia Senior American Legion baseball team has advanced to bracket play in the Legion AAA State tournament. The Post 5 Seniors suffered their first loss in tournament play Friday night 3-2 to Hays.
Emporia was leading 2-1 going to the bottom of the 7th when Hays would take advantage of 2 errors to tie the game and score the winning run. Post 5 scored a run in the first inning when Beau Baumgardner scored on a Cole Moore single. Hays would tie the game in the 4th inning. Emporia retook the lead with a run in the 6th inning when Sawyer Slayden scored on a Cole Moore single. Coach Anthony Markowitz said the errors at the wrong time cost them.
Emporia will play Salina who is the only undefeated team in the tournament at 10am in the first bracket play game. Coach Markowitz says they will need to handle the pressure.
This will be the 3rd meeting between the two teams. Salina defeated Post 5 5-3 in the Sam Ellis Tournament Championship game.
Emporia defeated Salina 2-1 in the McPherson Tournament Championship game.
The other semi-final has Nickerson playing Newton with first pitch set for 12:15.
The Championship game will be played following the 2nd semi-final.
Fridays scores:
Salina 11 Pittsburg 1.
Newton 7 Leavenworth 0. For the 2nd day in a row Leavenworth forfeited due to lack of players.
Nickerson 10 Topeka Senators 1.
