BY JIM MISUNAS
SALINA — Topeka's all-star team downed the Great Bend Chiefs 10-5 in Saturday's Salina Grand Slam quarterfinal baseball game.
The Senators feature players from Topeka Hayden, Washburn Rural, Topeka High and Mission Valley.
Great Bend's day started with a 51/2-hour rain delay. The Chiefs returned to Great Bend Saturday morning rather than waste time in Salina. Saturday's quarterfinal game started at 11:21 p.m. and finished at 1:15 a.m. Sunday.
It was understandable when the Chiefs played flat after spending 41/2 hours driving back-and-forth to Salina.
"We didn't play with energy. We should've played better in that ballgame," said Great Bend coach Randy Beck. "A lot of that is getting off to a good start. We didn't stay close. We could not string anything together. We didn't score multiple runs in an inning."
The Senators opened the scoring with a two-run second inning off starter Chayse Gruber. Tyler Dreisigaker singled home Jacob Mitchell and Logan Dreisigaker singled home Kian Beasley. Mitchell singled home Noah Schneider and Tyler Dreisigaker doubled home Mitchell and Beasley for a 5-0 lead after three innings. Schneider's double scored Jackson Soza and Dawson Logan for a 7-0 lead.
The Chiefs broke up the shutout with a two-run fourth inning. Stefan Spray doubled home Jade Poe, who reached base on an error. Spray scored on an error on a ball hit by Mathew Moeder.
Topeka's Colin Daniels singled home Dillon Ghere. Beasley scored on Logan Dreisigaker's groundball for a 9-2 lead off reliever Stefan Spray. Second baseman Chayse Gruber ended the rally by starting a double play to first baseman Paco Hernandez.
The Chiefs (8-8) kept battling, scoring five runs in the final three innings. Chayse Gruber singled home Townshend Kurth. Jade Poe scored on an error off Brad Beck's misplayed groundball for a 9-4 score after five innings.
Topeka's Kian Beasley doubled home Schneider for a 10-4 lead. Kurth doubled and scored a run on Paco Hernandez's misplayed groundball for a 10-5 final.
The Chiefs return to Salina Wednesday for the final baseball game to be played at Dean Evans Stadium before turf is installed.
CHIEFS 4, SENATORS 3 -- After a 51/2-hour rain relay, the Great Bend Chiefs’ patience was rewarded with a hard-fought 4-3 extra-inning victory Saturday. The Chiefs were scheduled to play Saturday’s elimination game against the Kansas Senators.
The Chiefs scored three eight-inning runs without virtue of a hit. Mathew Moeder was placed on seconds base (international rule) and scored on Paco Hernandez’s groundout. Joe Moeder and Townshend Kurth and Chayse Gruver drew walks. Kurth and Chayse Gruber scored on wild pitches by Sluggers pitcher Lucas Barnes for a 4-1 lead.
The Sluggers, a Sedgwick County all-star team, rallied for two eighth-inning runs. Derby’s Karson Klima doubled home Barnes and Wichita Northwest’s Ethan Holmes hit a sacrifice fly. But Klima was tagged out by second baseman Jade Poe on Rece Wilson’s groundball for the final out.
The Chiefs (8-7) rebounded from a 17-0 loss with a solid effort keyed by pitcher Layton Holden, who threw 61/3 shutout innings.
"The close ones are great when you win them,” said Great Bend coach Randy Beck. “When you play close games, it makes everyone concentrate. Fortunately, things went our way. We're here to compete and get better as baseball players. We need to play to our expectations."
Holden and Sluggers starter Clayton Knoblock from Derby were locked in a scoreless tie through four innings. Chief Brad Beck celebrated his birthday with a double and alert baserunning by scoring on Mathew Moeder’s groundout.
Holden’s shutout was spoiled when Andover Central’s Rece Wilson doubled home pinch runner Wyatt Drouhard for a 1-1 tie. Holden preserved the 1-1 tie by retiring Derby’s Kaden Clemans and Barnes to force extra innings.
SENATORS 10, CHIEFS 5
Senators 023 221 — 10 11 5
Chiefs 000 221 — 5 6 2
DeLorge, Mills (4) and Daniels. Gruber, Spray (5) and Beck. W—DeLorge. L—Gruber. 2B—GB—Spray, Kurth; TS—Tyler Dreisigaker, Schneider.
CHIEFS 4, SLUGGERS 3
Chiefs 000 010 03 — 4 3 1
Sluggers 000 000 12 — 3 7 2
Holden and Poe, Beck (4). Knoblock, Barnes (8) and Clemans. W—Holden. L—Barnes. 2B—GB—Beck; WS—Wilson, Klima.
SALINA GRAND SLAM
POOL A–1–Millard, Neb. 3-0 (42-4), 2–Hays Eagles 2-1 (31-37), 3–Kansas Senators 1-2 (24-32), 4–Salina Falcons 0-3 (17-41)
POOL B—1—Topeka Scrappers 3-0 (39-2), 2—Great Bend Chiefs 2-1 (12-20), 3—Hutchinson Colts 1-2 (9-28), 4—Wichita Sluggers 0-3 (13-23)
THURSDAY—G1–Great Bend Chiefs 8, Hutchinson Colts 0; G2–Hays Eagles 13, Kansas Senators 11; G3–Topeka Scrappers 12, Hutchinson 0; G4–Millard, Neb. 14, Salina Falcons 0
FRIDAY—G5–Millard, Neb. 14, Hays Eagles 4; G6–Topeka Scrappers 17, Great Bend Chiefs 0; G7–Hays Eagles 14, Salina Falcons 12; G8–Hutchinson 9, Wichita Sluggers 8; G9–Kansas Senators 13, Salina Falcons 5
SATURDAY—G10—Great Bend Chiefs 4, Wichita Sluggers 3; G11—Topeka Scrappers 10, Wichita Sluggers 2; G12—Millard, Neb. 14, Kansas Senators 0; G13—Hays Eagles 10,. Hutchinson Colts 9; G14—Kansas Senators 10, Great Bend Chiefs 5
SUNDAY—G15—Salina Falcons vs. Wichita Sluggers; G16—Millard. Neb. 15, Kansas Senators 0; G17—Hays Eagles 5, Topeka Scrappers 2; G18—Championship—Millard North 10, Hays Eagles 0
GREAT BEND CHIEFS (8-8)
WL–Chiefs vs. Larned 11-10, 3-8
LL–Chiefs at Hays 3-8, 0-10
WW–Chiefs vs. Larned, 8-3, 4-2
WWLL–Chiefs at McPherson (W Wichita Aeros 7-5; W Hutchinson 4-3; L Hays Eagles 3-6; L KC Aces 1-4)
LW–Chiefs vs. Pratt, 7-10; TMP 10-5
WWLL—Salina Tournament (W Hutchinson Colts; L Topeka Scrappers 0-17; W Wichita Sluggers 4-3; L Topeka Senators 5-10)
7-1–Chiefs at Salina Falcons, 6
7-11–Chiefs vs. Smith Center, 11 a.m.
7-15–Chiefs vs. Salina Falcons, 6
7-18–Chiefs at Smith Center, 11 a.m.
7-22–Chiefs vs. Hays, 6
