BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
OTTAWA — The Salina Falcons swept runner-up Great Bend 8-0 and 12-2 to capture the American Legion Jim Allen Wood Bat baseball tournament. The Falcons outscored four teams 36-2.
Several key Falcons were members of Salina Central’s high school baseball team which lost 3-0 to 5A state qualifier Great Bend.
“There was a hint of motivation there. Salina threw two pitchers who threw hard,” said Travis Kurth, Great Bend Chiefs coach. “They pitched good games and we didn’t hit the baseball. “I was really pleased that our pitchers threw well. We managed the pitch count to keep pitchers available. Eduardo Bujanda made a solid debut.”
The Chiefs (2-2) play Nickerson Tuesday and Ellinwood Friday at the Great Bend Sports Complex.
SALINA FALCONS 12, CHIEFS 2 (championship) — Chiefs Alex Schremmer, Eduardo Bujanda and Calan Haberman each delivered two hits. But the Chiefs left eight baserunners stranded.
Haberman singled home Joey Soupiset in the second inning. Schremmer singled home Colin Hall in the fourth inning. Third baseman Eduardo Bujanda turned a double play.
Salina Central’s Ethan Kickhaefer struck out six batters. Brogen Richardson and Seth Catania each drove home two runs. The Falcons scored nine runs in the fourth inning. The first seven baserunners reached base on walks, errors or hit by pitches.
SALINA FALCONS 8, CHIEFS 0 — Townshend Kurth and Cal Kaiser delivered base hits. Starter Riley Smith was tagged for five earned runs against a team composed of players from Salina Central, Salina South, Sacred Heart and Ell-Saline high schools.
Salina South’s Cade Sterrett threw a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts. Brogen Richardson and Ryan Dix each drove home two runs.
Ell-Saline’s Richard Davis threw a five-hit shutout in a 6-0 victory over the Kansas Senators. Salina South’s Cason Long threw a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts for a 10-0 win over Ottawa.
CHIEFS 8, OTTAWA 3 (Saturday) — The Great Bend Chiefs made a stunning debut Saturday by upsetting the Ottawa Arrows 8-3 in a rematch of last year’s AAA Legion state baseball championship. Last year, Ottawa rallied to beat Great Bend 9-1 and 10-6 to capture the AAA state championship to earn a trip to the Mid-South regional at New Orleans. The Arrows have won the past three AAA state baseball titles.
“We were really pleased by how we played baseball Saturday,” Kurth said. “Our pitchers threw strikes. Colin Hall and Townshend Kurth threw solid starts. We played some solid baseball teams Saturday and Sunday.”
The Chiefs converted four Ottawa errors into six unearned runs. Starter Colin Hall was packed by relievers Joey Soupiset and Alex Schremmer.
Soupiset singled home Bryce Kaiser after a two-out first-inning error. Jesus Bujanda and Soupiset scored on an error. Hall singled home Eduardo Bujanda for a 4-0 lead.
Soupiset’s RBI single scored Calan Haberman for a 5-0 lead after two innings. Schremmer scored on an error and Townshend Kurth scored on a passed ball for 7-0 lead. Schremmer’s fifth-inning single scored Riley Smith.
Ottawa’s Josh Reynolds, Devon Richardson and Owen Lamar scored runs.
CHIEFS 9, KANSAS SENATORS 1 (Saturday) — Kurth struck out five batters in a four-hit pitching performance. The Chiefs scored nine unearned runs on four Senator errors.
Haberman singled and scored on a first-inning error. A seven-run fourth inning buried the Senators. Hall singled home Soupiset. Ray Sanchez scored on an error. Haberman’s single scored Smith. Bryce Kaiser drove home Cal Kaiser with a sacrifice fly. Jesus Bujanda tripled home Haberman and Schremmer for a 7-1 lead. Jesus Bujanda scored on a passed ball.
Riley Smith’s RBI single scored Schremmer to complete a 9-1 run-rule victory.
Salina Falcons 011 91 — 12 7 0
GB Chiefs 010 10 — 2 8 5
Kickhaefer and Dix. Kaiser, E. Bujanda (2), J. Bujanda (3), Schremmer (5) and Hall. L—Kaiser. 2B—GB—Soupiset; S—Long.
GB Chiefs 000 00 — 0 2 3
Salina Falcons 240 02 — 8 7 1
Smith, Haberman (2), Olivas (4) and E. Bujanda. Sterrett and Dox. W—Sterrett. L—Smith. 2B—S—Richardson.
KS Senators 000 10 — 1 4 4
GB Chiefs 100 71 — 9 10 0
Richardson, Soza (2) and Wells. Kurth and Hall. W—Kurth. 2B—GB—Schremmer. 3B—GB—Jesus Bujanda.
GB Chiefs 410 210 0 — 8 10 1
Ottawa 000 100 2 — 3 8 4
Hall, Soupiset (4), Schremmer (6) and Eduardo Bujanda. Mundell, Castleberry (6) and Bothin. W—Hall. L—Mundell. 2B—O—Lamar.
