VALLEY — The Wayne American Legion Post 43 Juniors are one of three teams left in the Class B Area 3 Juniors tournament going into the final day of competition.
The Juniors opened tournament play Friday with a 6-1 win over Arlington, breaking a 1-1 tie with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to advance in the double-elimination tournament.
Wayne got on the board in the second when Gunnar Jorgensen stole home on a Max Miller strikeout to give the Juniors the early lead.
Arlington tied the game in the fifth, but Wayne came through with their big effort an inning later. Jorgensen doubled in the gap in left center to bring home Jacob Kneifl. After a Brock Hopkins single loaded the bases, Brooks Kneifl drew a walk to score Reid Korth and Miller followed with a two-run single, scoring Jorgensen and Hopkins. Toby Braun ended the rally with a bunt single that brought home Brooks Kneifl.
Jorgensen had three hits and scored twice to lead the Wayne Juniors. Jacob Kneifl, Hopkins, Brooks Kneifl, Miller and Braun also had hits in the game. Jacob Kneifl pitched four innings and struck out seven, with Blake Bartos throwing three innings of relief to get the win.
On Saturday, Wayne overcame three errors to post a 4-1 win over Omaha Roncalli.
The game was scoreless until the fifth, when Jacob Kneifl tripled home Blake Bartos and scored on a Reid Korth single to make it 2-0.
Wayne got two insurance runs in the seventh, thanks to a Korth RBI double and an RBI single by Jorgensen to advance to the winner’s bracket final.
Korth was 3-for-4 with two RBI and Blake Bartos scored twice to lead the offense. Brooks Kneifl threw a five-hitter, allowing two walks while striking out four.
On Sunday, Wayne fell to the losers bracket with a 9-1 loss to top-seeded Bennington.
Bennington scored in the first to take the lead for good, then ran up six runs in the third inning to take control of the game.
Wayne scored its only run in the fifth on a Tyrus Eischeid single, scoring Brooks Kneifl. Bennington answered with two in the bottom of the inning to end the game on the eight-run rule.
Wayne was limited to two hits in the game, both by Eischeid, who was the losing pitcher in the contest with a complete-game effort.
On Monday, Wayne turned to its ace, and Jacob Kneifl delivered with a five-inning no-hitter as Wayne beat Blair 8-0 to move to Tuesday’s final day.
Kneifl faced one batter over the minimum, giving up a walk (later erased on a pickoff) and having one batter reach on an error in throwing his six-inning, seven-strikeout gem.
His offense did the job in the third inning, starting with a Korth RBI single that scored Bartos. A two-out error kept the inning going, and Wayne got back-to-back RBI singles from Hopkins and Brooks Kneifl, followed by a wild pitch that plated Hopkins to give Wayne the 4-0 lead.
Wayne added three more in the fifth, starting with a suicide squeeze bunt by Toby Braun that scored Hopkins. An error on a double play attempt brought two more runs home to make it 7-0. An error on a ground ball by Brooks Kneifl brought home the final run to end the game.
Bartos, Korth and Hopkins each had two hits to lead the way. Eischeid had two RBI’s and Hopkins scored three times.
Wayne, 24-5, will face Omaha Roncalli in a 5:30 p.m. game, with the winner advancing to the championship game against Bennington. The winner of that game advances to state this Saturday in McCook.
Area 3 Juniors at Valley
Saturday’s Results
Bennington 20, Schuyler 2
Waterloo-Valley 8, West Point 1
Omaha Roncalli 4, Blair 3
Wayne 6, Arlington 1
Sunday’s Results
West Point 13, Schuyler 0 (Schuyler eliminated)
Blair 14, Arlington 4 (Arlington eliminated)
Bennington 6, Valley 4
Wayne 4, Omaha Roncalli 1
Sunday’s Results
Bennington 9, Wayne 1
Omaha Roncalli 22, West Point 5 (West Point eliminated)
Blair 7, Waterloo-Valley 2 (W-V eliminated)
Monday’s Schedule
Wayne 8, Blair 0 (Blair eliminated)
Omaha Roncalli 5, Bennington 2
Tuesday’s Schedule
Wayne vs. Omaha Roncalli, 5:30 p.m.
Bennington vs. Wayne/Roncalli winner, 8 p.m.
