BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
The Great Bend Chiefs showed their ability for most of Friday's Legion baseball doubleheader against the Salina Falcons.
The Chiefs took advantage of scoring opportunities and pitched decently. But one nightmarish inning cost the Chiefs as they split Friday's twin bill with a 13-8 opening loss before rallying for a 6-2 victory keyed by ace southpaw Tyler Stuhlsatz from Ellinwood.
The Chiefs (16-7) return to Lawson/Biggs Field against the Newton Knights (11-10) at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Zone 3 Legion postseason play. The No. 1 seeded Hays Eagles (17-4) play the winner.
CHIEFS 6, FALCONS 2 (G2) — The Chiefs' ace lefthander Stuhlsatz (7-1) delivered his seventh consecutive victory with six strikeouts and no walks in a crisp 55-pitch five-inning outing. Stefan Spray worked the final two innings.
Jade Poe scored a first-inning run on a Falcon error. Stuhlsatz singled and scored on an Edwin Chavez groundout. Brad Beck scored on a second-inning wild pitch for a 3-0 lead.
The Falcons' Mason Gary singled home Devante Keimowens for a fourth-inning run. The Chiefs responded when Chavez singled home Beck and Bradley Hopkins scored on a passed ball for a 5-1 lead.
Salina scored a sixth-inning unearned run when Parker Benoit scored on Nick Schutz sacrifice fly.
Poe singled home Hopkins in the sixth-inning for a 6-2 final.
FALCONS 13, CHIEFS 8 (G2) —The Falcons exploded for eight runs as 11 baserunners reached base in an eight-run fifth inning. Eight Falcons reached base three times as the Falcons had 28 baserunners in the 21/2-hour affair. The Chiefs walked nine batters, hit four batters and committed four errors.
Salina's Nick Clayson, Mason Gary and Zach Redding each drove in two runs.
The Chiefs led 6-1. Spray drove home Sage Koelsch and Poe scored on a first-inning wild pitch. Hopkins, Koelsch, Poe and Paco Hernandez drove home runs in a four-run second inning for a 6-1 lead.
The Chiefs' Gavin Haberman and Stuhlsatz were both tagged out after overrunning bases to ruin a potential fifth-inning rally.
Chavez doubled home Mathew Moeder and Koelsch doubled home Chavez in the sixth inning for a 13-8 final.
Salina Falcons 010 280 2 — 13 13 2
GB Chiefs 240 002 0 — 8 9 4
Clayson, Jones (3) and Bolen. Hernandez, Poe (4), Koelsch (5), Chavez (5) and Beck. W—Jones. L—Koelsch, 1-1. 2B—GB—Mathew Moeder, Chavez, Koelsch; S—Mathis. 3B—GB—Hernandez.
Salina Falcons 000 101 0 — 2 3 3
GB Chiefs 120 201 x — 6 10 2
Mathis, Schutz (4), Benoit (6) and Bolen. Stuhlsatz, Spray (6) and Poe. W—Stuhlsatz, 7-1. L—Mathis.
