Second set of first round games in the Northeast Kansas League American Legion Preseason baseball tournament happened Friday night and it was Atchison and Seneca punching their tickets to the semifinals of the tournament on Saturday.

Atchison was slated to play Royal Valley in the first round but after Royal Valley only had eight players, the game had to be forfeited giving Atchison their first win of the season and a spot in the semifinals. The two teams did decide to play a three inning scrimmage between each other with Atchison lending a few players to Royal Valley for the scrimmage.

Atchison moved on Saturday's action and improved to 1-2 with the forfeit, will Royal Valley fell to 0-3 and move to the consolation bracket at the NEK American Legion baseball tournament.

Meeting Atchison on Saturday would be Seneca as they take on Hiawatha and came away with a 8-0 five inning win. Seneca spread out their eight runs scoring two in the first and third innings, three runs in the fourth and one more to close things out in the bottom of the fifth. Eric Huerter was the story of the game for Seneca as he earned the pitching win but his bat was electric, as well. Huerter finished with the pitching line of five innings only giving up one-hit and striking out 13. But that wasn't it for Huerter on the night as he went 3-3 from the plate with three triples, three runs scored and two RBI's.

Cody Heiman, also had a good night for Seneca in the victory with 1-2 performance, scoring a run and tallying 3 RBI's. Hiawatha who couldn't get their bats going, also were plagued by four errors in the loss. Seneca improved to 3-0 with the win setting up a meeting with Atchison in the tournament semifinals, while Hiawatha remained winless on the season at 0-3 and would face Royal Valley on Saturday in the consolation bracket.

Box Scores below:

Hiawatha     0 0 0 0 0 - - Final 0
Seneca        2 0 2 3 1 - - Final 8

Hiawatha: 1 hit, 4 errors
      Dalton Lehmkuhl 0-1 w/BB; Brendon Steele 0-2; Josh Hinkle 0-2; Dakota Bayles 0-2; Kyle White
      0-1 w/BB; Jeff Costa 1-2; Parker Hasenkamp 0-2; Ryker Smith 0-1 w/BB; Taylor Jacobsen 0-2;
      Marshall Swearingen 0-1

LP: Dakota Bayles 4 IP, 5 hits, 7 runs (1-unearned) & 3 BB's
       Parker Hasenkamp  1 run (unearned), 4 BB's

Seneca: 5 hits, 1 error
      Zach Rottinghaus 1-3; Eric Huerter 3-3 w/3 3B's, 3 RS & 2 RBI's; Cody Heiman 1-2 w/RS & 3 RBI's;
      Michael Ohlsen 0-3; Dustin Deters 1-2 w/RS & BB; Alex Hermesch 0-1 w/2 BB; Cuturs Stallbaumer
      0-2 w/BB & RBI; Michael Rottinghaus 1-2; David Olberding 1-1 w/BB

WP: Eric Heurter  5 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 3 BB's & 13 K's