The annual Northeast Kansas League American Legion baseball tournament at Somerset park in Sabetha got underway yesterday with two first round matchups. 

Doniphan County and Frankfort meet up in the first round, which was actually the third time they have meet in the young Legion baseball season. Doniphan County in search of their first win of the season went to their pitcher Dylan Gabriel who dialed in and went the distance all seven innings only giving up three hits and striking out 12, to help Doniphan County earn a 3-0 win over Frankfort. It was Alex Surdez pitching for Frankfort after throwing a complete game and earning the win on Sunday against Doniphan County he only went four innings last night, giving up five hits and two runs with three base on balls issued, too.

The offense wasn't much for either team but Doniphan County capitalized on their opportunities notching their three runs on seven hits, while Frankfort only mustered three hits. No one on Doniphan Counties team tallied more than one-hit but mustered enough to plate a run in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings; while they plated three runners, they also stranded 11 on the base pads. Paden Halter scored two of 3 runs for Doniphan County with a hit and walk, while Kolby Scott was 1-2 with a run scored, walk and hit by pitch.

Doniphan County improved to 1-4 on the season with the win and advanced the NEK League tournament semifinals on Saturday. Frankfort suffered their first loss of the season, as they are now 2-1 and will be in the consolation bracket side at Somerset Park.

In the second game of the double header last night it was the host squad Sabetha taking on Holton. While the first game didn't feature many runs scored the second game featured a few more, as Sabetha notch the 8-4 win over Holton.

Sabetha struck first in the top of the second plating three runs without registering a hit that inning as they benefited from two walks, a hit batsman, two errors and a pair of stolen bases to take a 3-0 lead in the second inning. They would threaten again in the third plating one-run and having the bases load with no outs but Holton would keep the damage at the one-run as they forced Holton into a double play, then another out to get out of the inning.

Holton then tried to start to mount a comeback plating two-runs themselves in the bottom of the third making it 3-2 at the end of three. After a scoreless fourth inning Sabetha capitalized on more Holton mistakes in the fifth inning scoring four runs off of three hits, two errors and two walks in the inning. Holton now down 8-2, would quite Sabetha for the rest of the game scoring wise, but could only muster two more runs themselves to ultimately fall 8-4 in the contest. The game saw eight total errors and 14 free passes issued by both teams together but it was Sabetha who capitalized on their opportunities to earn the win.

Kyle Stallbaumer was the winning pitcher for Sabetha going five innings giving up three runs on four hits and striking out seven, while the tough luck starter for Holton, Jacob Spalding was given the loss after only pitching two innings. For Holton they only muster five hits; lead-off man, Jay Morris went 1-3 on the night with two runs scored. For Sabetha Thaine Allen had the best offense night going 3-4 with a double,  two runs scored and a stolen base, his teammate Riley Wells had a 2-3 night, also drawing a walk.

Sabetha improved to 6-1 on the season with the victory and moves on to the semifinals of the NEK tournament to play Doniphan County on Saturday at 7:00pm. Holton is now 2-1 on the season and will take on Frankfort on Saturday at noon in the consolation side of the bracket. 

NEK American Legion baseball tournament action continues tonight at Somerset park in Sabetha with the other two first round matchups as Royal Valley will take on Atchison at 6:00pm and then Seneca vs. Hiawatha will follow at 8:00pm. You can hear both games live on Kanzaland radio this evening (92.1 KMZA & 103.9 KNZA) and also online by clicking on the listen live tab and the KNZA play-by-play link.

2012 Northeast Kansas League Tournament bracket (click here)

2012 Northeast Kansas League standings and schedule (click here)

Box Scores below: 

Frankfort                   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Final 0   
Doniphan County    0 0 1 1 1 0 0 Final 3  

Frankfort: 3 hits, 3 errors, 3 LOB
       Lucas Adams 0-3; Alex Surdez 0-1 w/2 BB's; Sam Steinlage 1-3; Derek Trimble 1-3; Brett Burdiek
       0-3; JT Rosine 0-3; Alex Steinlage 0-3; Cody Huerter 1-3; Derek Porting 0-2

LP: Alex Surdez   4 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs & 3 BB's
      Cody Huerter 3 IP, 2 hits, 1 run & BB

Doniphan County: 7 hits, 0 errors, 11 LOB
       Kolby Scott 1-2 w/BB, HBP & RS; Colton Master 0-4; Zach Halter 1-3 w/RBI; Derek Nold 0-3 w/BB;
       Paden Halter 1-3 w/2 RS & BB; Cody Bennett 1-3 w/2B; Jordan Thornberry 1-3; Zach Lankford
       1-2 w/BB; Dalton Simpson 1-3

WP: Dylan Gabriel  7 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs, 2 BB's & 12 K's

Sabetha    0 3 1 0 4 0 0 Final 8   
Holton       0 0 2 0 1 1 0 Final 4    

Sabetha: 8 hits, 3 errors, 8 LOB
       Nolan Keim 0-3 w/HBP & SB; Thaine Allen 2-3 w/2B & SB; Riley Wells 2-3 w/BB; Graham Droge 0-2
       w/RS & 2 BB's; Taylor Bauman 0-1 w/2 RS, RBI  & 3 BB's; Issac Russell 0-3 w/RS, BB & SB; Tate
       Steinlage 0-3 w/2 RS , HBP & SB; Graham Howard 1-3 w/2 RBI's; Benji Stoller 1-3 w/RBI  & 2 SB; 
       Derrick Chadwell 0-2; Tyler Edelman 0-1

WP: Kyle Stallbaumer   5 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 2 BB's, 7 K's & HBP
        Tate Steinlage   2 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, BB, 2 K's & HBP

Holton: 5 hits, 5 errors, 8 LOB
       Jay Morris 1-3 w/2 RS; Drew Porter 0-3 w/BB; Eric Mckinsey 1-4 w/RBI; Jacob Spalding 0-3
       w/RBI & BB; Brandon Schuman 1-3 w/HBP; Zach Porter 0-4 w/RS ; Cooper Zeller 1-3; Kolton
       Oliverhaus 0-2 w/BB; Jeff Heitzman 1-3 w/3B & RS

LP: Jacob Spalding  2 IP, 2 hits, 3 runs (unearned), 2 BB's & 2 HBP's
      Brandon Schuman  5 IP, 6 hits, 5 runs (3 unearned), 5 BB's & 6 K's