BY JIM MISUNAS
The Great Bend Braves 17-and-under Legion baseball team performed at a high level for four games at the Braves Baseball Classic.
However, eight errors contributed to a 15-6 loss to the Salina Hawks in Sunday’s championship game at the Great Bend Sports Complex. The Hawks scored seven unearned runs. The Braves (15-4) play at Hays Wednesday.
SALINA HAWKS 15, BRAVES 6 – Braves starter Jesus Bujanda yielded six unearned runs as the Braves’ defense committed eight errors. The Hawks scored seven runs in the sixth inning to lead 15-2.
Townshend Kurth singled home Calan Haberman with a first-inning run. Riley Smith’s single drove home Colin Hall in the fourth inning.
The Braves scored four runs in the sixth inning. Olivas singled home Jesus Bujanda. Jacob Hanrahan’s single scored Joey Soupiset. Hall and Nahum Olivas scored on steals.
BRAVES 11, RUSSELL 4 -- Jesus Bujanda and Brayden Powell each drove in two runs as the Braves advanced to the championship game with a 4-0 record. Haberman pitched four innings to earn the victory.
Hall’s first-inning single scored Haberman and Kurth scored on Jesus Bujanda’s sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. Hall scored on a passed ball and Eduardo Bujanda scored on a wild pitch.
Kurth scored on Jesus Bujanda’s groundout to start a three-run third inning. Eduardo Bujanda’s single scored Hall and Powell’s groundout scored Jayce Christiansen for a 7-2 lead.
Christiansen’s single scored Kurth and Powell forced home Hall on a hit-by-pitch for a 9-4 lead after four innings. Kurth’s single scored Dalton Barfield and Joey Soupiset’s single scored Powell for an 11-4 margin.
BRAVES BASEBALL CLASSIC
GREAT BEND SPORTS COMPLEX
SUNDAY’S GAMES
Great Bend 11, Russell 4
Salina Hawks 7, Hutchinson 6
Championship game—Salina Hawks 15, Great Bend 6
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Hutchinson 6, Russell 4
Great Bend 9, Salina Hawks 1
Salina Hawks 6, Russell 4
Great Bend 8, Hutchinson 2
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Great Bend 10, Russell 2
Salina Hawks 11, Hutchinson 3
BRAVES 11, RUSSELL 4
Semifinal
Russell 002 200 0 – 4 7 1
Braves 403 211 x – 11 8 3
Foster, Huser (3) and R. Swanson, Pospichal. Haberman, Powell (5) and Jesus Bujanda. W—Haberman. L—Foster.
SALINA 15, BRAVES 6
Championship
Salina 123 207 – 15 13 0
Braves 100 104 – 6 6 8
Baughman, Stover (6) and Tabor. Jesus Bujanda, Smith (5), Zahnter (6) and Hall. W—Baughman. L—J. Bujanda. 2B—GB—Kurth; S—Whittecar. 3B—S—Duong.
