SALINA — Brooks Nichols delivered the game-winning single to spark the Great Bend Braves past the Salina Hawks 9-8 in the Class A Zone baseball tournament. Great Bend plays McPherson in Tuesday’s winner’s bracket final. Great Bend is the site of the Class A State Tournament starting July 20 at the Great Bend Sports Complex.
The Braves rallied from an 8-7 deficit with two seventh-inning runs. Blaine Mermis singled and Max Jerke pinch ran. Cole Schlochtermeier singled. Dalton Bieker singled home Jerke for a 8-8 tie. Nichols’ single scored Bieker with the game-winning run off pitcher Brendan Tiernan.
McPherson shocked Andover 12-2 and upset top-seeded Hays 8-7 to qualify for the winner’s bracket final. McPherson (6-18) upset the top-seeded Hays Monarchs (18-6). McPherson, the Salina Hawks and Andover qualified for Class A State last year.
The Braves scored three first-inning runs. Pinch-runner Jerke scored after running for Koy Brack, who singled. Nichols singled home Cory Burnham, who walked. Zack Jacobs doubled home Nichols for a 3-3 tie.
Schlochtermeier walked and scored on a second-inning error.
Jacobs doubled and scored on a third-inning wild pitch. Roy Sanchez scored on an error for a 6-3 lead.
Mermis scored a fifth-inning run, but Schlochtermeier and Keaton Reneau were thrown out on the bases on back-to-back plays.
The Hawks rallied for a 7-7 tie and led 8-7 when Mason Lundgrin’s double scored Layne Haddock. Reliever Cory Burham kept the Braves close by retiring Brady McAfee and Mikel Bozarth.

CLASS A ZONE 7-8
SALINA Dean Evans Stadium
MONDAY’S GAMES
McPherson 14, Andover 2
Great Bend 9, Salina Hawks 8
McPherson 8, Hays Monarchs 7
Salina Hawks 12, Andover 2
TUESDAY’s GAMES
2 p.m.—Great Bend vs McPherson
5 p.m.—Salina Hawks vs Hays
8 p.m.—Great Bend-McPherson loser vs. Salina-Hays winner
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
5 p.m.—Great Bend-McPherson winner vs. Tuesday’s 8 p.m. winner
8 p.m.—Championship (if needed)

BRAVES 9, HAWKS 8
BRAVES AB R H BI
Koy Brack 4 0 2 1
Max Jerke 0 2 0 0
Keaton Reneau 0 0 0 0
Cory Burnham 4 1 1 0
Kaleb Blazek 3 0 1 0
Grant Keller 0 0 0 0
Brooks Nichols 5 1 2 2
Brayden Powell 4 0 0 0
Zack Jacobs 4 1 2 1
Roy Sanchez 2 1 0 0
Blaine Mermis 1 1 1 0
Schlochtermeier 2 1 1 0
Dalton Bieker 3 1 1 1
Calan Haberman 0 0 0 0
Totals 32 9 11 5
Salina Hawks 300 022 1 — 8 14 5
GB Braves 312 010 2 — 9 11 3
2B—Lundgrin 2; Jacobs 2, Catania, Sterrett. HBP—Haddock, Blazek, Mermis, SB—Schlochtermeier 2, Haddock, Burnham, Blazek, Nichols. CS—Haddock. E—Seim 2; Humm 2, Catania, Burnham, Schlochtermeier, Bieker. LOB—SH 12; GB 11. WP—Humm 4, Burnham 2.
Hawks IP H R ER BB SO
Humm 2 3 6 4 4 3
Tiernan 4.2 8 3 3 1 8
Chiefs IP H R ER BB SO
Blazek 5 8 5 5 4 5
Burnham 2 6 3 3 0 0