RUSSELL — The Great Bend Braves 17-and-under American Legion baseball team swept Russell 13-3 and 14-3 in Wednesday’s baseball season openers.
Jesus Bujanda and Eduardo Bujanda played on Great Bend’s varsity team this spring, but most of the players enjoyed success at the junior varsity level.
“We feel good about our baseball team ane believe we’ll be competitive,” said coach Travis Kurth. “We feature a lot of pitchers, which should be good. We’re stacked with good hitters. Our ultimate goal is to have all of our plyares improve their individual baseball skills. We want everyone to see playing time.”
• BRAVES 13, RUSSELL 3 — Eduardo Bujanda, Jesus Bujanda and Riley Smith each drove in two runs to spark Great Bend. Pitcher Eduardo Bujanda worked two innings for the victory.
Colin Hall and Smith scored on wild pitches and Brayden Powell scored on a groundout in a three-run second inning.
Jesus Bujanda’s two-run double ignited an eight-run third inning. Eduardo Bujanda delivered a two-run single and Smith added a pair of RBI singles. Powell, Calan Haberman and Jayce Christiansen delivered RBI hits and Smith scored on a balk.
• BRAVES 14, RUSSELL 3 — Great Bend’s Hall doubled in three runs and Jesus Bujanda, Eduardo Bujanda and Dalton Barfield each drove in two runs.
Barfield’s triple scored Joey Soupiset and Barfield scored on a Christian Zahnter groundout in a two-run second inning.
Townshend Kurth, Jesus Bujanda Jcob Hanrahan and Barfield delivered RBI hits in a five-run third inning. Barfield scored on a wild pitch.
Jesus Bujanda added an RBI single in the fourth inning.
Eduardo Bujanda hit a two-run double and Hall drilled a three-run double in a sixth-run sixth inning. Kaiser hit a sacrifice fly.
The Braves play four games this weekend at Ottawa, starting with Chanute Friday night.
BRAVES 13, RUSSELL 3
Great Bend 038 2 — 13 9 3
Russell 200 1 — 3 1 4
E. Bujanda, Soupiset (3) and Hall. Schoenberger, Decker (3), Price (4) and Foster. W—E. Bujanda. L—Schoenberger. 2B—GB—Haberman, J. Bujanda. 3B—GB—Christiansen.
BRAVES 14, RUSSELL 3
Great Bend 025 100 6 — 14 15 3
Russell 100 110 0 — 3 1 3
Kurth, Hall, (2), Powell (4), Jesus Bujanda (6) and E. Bujanda, Smith (6). Buhrle, Huser (3), Foster (6), Kasper (7) and Foster. W—Hall. L—Buhrle. 2B—GB—E. Bujanda 2, J. Bujanda, Barfield, Hall. 3B—GB—Barfield.
GREAT BEND BRAVES
1—Joey Soupiset RP-3B
3—Cal Kaiser 2B-CF-LF
4—Jacob Hanrahan RP-2B
5—Brayden Powell RP-3B
8—Calan Haberman RP-RF-CF
9—Riley Smith RP-2B-C-LF
10—Christian Zahnter RP-SS
13—Colin Hall RP-C-3B-RF
14—Nahum Olivas 2B-LF-RF
24—Eduardo Bujanda RP-1B-C
28—Jayce Christiansen P-2B-RF-CF
33—Townshend Kurth RP-SS
35—Jesus Bujanda RP-1B-C
42—Dalton Barfield RF
Coaches—Travis Kurth, Darrin Hall
2017 BRAVES SCHEDULE
5-31—WW Russell 13-3, 14-3
6-2-3-4—at Ottawa (Chanute, Kansas Senators, Emporia, Mound City)
6-7—Hays, 6 p.m.
6-11—Cunningham, 3 p.m.
6-13—at Dodge City, 6 p.m.
6-14—Pratt, 6 p.m.
6-16-17-18—Braves Classic
6-23-25--chiefs classic
6-21—at Hays, 6 p.m.
6-28—Dodge City, 6 p.m.
6-30—at Pratt Tournament
7-1-2—at Pratt Tournanent
7-5—at Buhler
7-8—at Class AA Zone
