GARDEN CITY — Larned’s Babe Ruth baseball team defeated Junction City Red 8-4 Monday to capture the 15-and-under state baseball tournament.
Larned (17-12) qualifies for the Babe Ruth Midwest Regional July 27-31 at Junction City.
LARNED 8, JUNCTION CITY 4 (1st place) — Larned scored eight runs in two innings to down Junction City. Aidan Smyth threw four four innings and Jack Stelter worked the final three innings. Second baseman Colin LaBouchardiere combined with first baseman Logan Erway for a sixth-inning double play.
The final out was recorded when Stelter picked off the final runner at first base.
Gunnar Cline started a three-run second inning with an RBI single to score Melo Bryant. Jacob Grosfield scored on a groundout. Cline scored on an error for a 3-2 lead.
Larned scored five fourth-inning runs. Bryant was hit by a pitch and Grosfield walked to force home runs. Stelter scored on a passed ball and Cline’s single scored Bryant. Aidan Smyth forced home the eighth run on a hit by pitch for an 8-3 lead.
Junction City Red downed the Garden City Thunder 8-3 to qualify for the state championship game.
LARNED 11, FRONTENAC RAIDERS 10 (semifinal) — Larned scored five eighth-inning runs and held off the Raiders 11-10 Monday. Pitcher Jack Stelter converted a double play on a bunt and Cline caught a fly ball to strand the tying runner on base.
Stelter doubled, tripled and drove home three runs. Bryant capped a five-run eighth inning with a two-run single after Erway, Stelter and Dillan Smith drew bases-loaded walks to force home runs.
Frontenac defeated Junction City 14-3, Clearwater 11-0 and Liberal 12-5 in pool play.
GARDEN CITY THUNDER 11, LARNED 10 — Garden City held off Larned 11-10 in a high-scoring affair. Larned’s Stelter drove home three runs and Erway and Bryant each had two RBIs.
LARNED 12, GALENA 2 — Larned’s Stelter, Erway and Kaden Pontius each drove home two runs. Aidan Smyth worked five innings.
LARNED 15, COTTONWOOD VALLEY 0 — Larned’s Aidan Smyth, Erway and Bryant combined for a one-hit shutout. Stelter tripled and drove in four runs. LaBouchardiere drove home two runs.
LARNED BABE RUTH
3—Dillan Smith
7—Aidan Smyth
8—Jack Stelter
9—Jacob Grosfield
10—Logan Erway
12—Gunnar Cline
13—Ian Orth
21—Carlos Ibarra
27—Colin LaBouchardiere
30—Christian Murray
33—Kaden Pontius
36—Trevor Bartz
COACHES—Kyle LeRoy, Chad Erway, Russell Smyth
Junction City 200 110 0 — 4 6 2
Larned 030 500 x — 8 5 4
Kell, Tillman (4), Post (4), Avers (5) and Taylor. Smyth, Stelter (5) and Stelter, Dillan Smith (5). W—Smyth. L—Kell.
Larned 310 002 05 — 11 8 1
Raiders 510 000 04 — 10 12 2
Smyth, Smith (1), Stelter (8) and and Stelter. W—Smith. Ryan Raoi, Cleland (6), Jameson (8), Jeremy Raoi (8) and Bridwell. L—Cleland. 2B—L—Stelter; R—Bridwell, Jameson. 3B—L—Stelter.
Garden City 030 440 0 — 11 6 2
Larned 310 320 1 — 10 9 5
Ramos, Perez (2), Rodriguez (4), Johnson (7) and Jones. Bryant, Stelter (3), Grosfield (4), Smith (6) and Stelter, Dillan Smith (3). W—Rodriguez. L—Grosfield.
Galena 020 00 — 2 2 1
Larned 203 07 — 12 8 1
Brett Sarwinski, Roberts (4), Albright (4), Nick Sarwinski (5), Dart (5) and Jones. Smyth and Stelter. W—Smyth. L—Sarwinski.
Larned 492 0 — 15 7 0
Cottonwood 000 0 — 0 1 1
Smyth, Erway (2), Bryant (4) and Stelter. Littrill, Bysenitz (2), Peterson (2) and Jones. W—Smyth. L—Littrill. 2B—L—Cline. 3B—L—Stelter.
