It was another busy week of Wayne and Wakefield American Legion baseball competition. Junior Area tourney play will last from Friday, July 11 - 15.
Wayne, Wakefield Juniors open Area Tourney Friday
Class B and C Junior American Legion baseball teams will begin postseason play on Friday, July 11 which will include Rolling Hills Supply Wayne Post 43 and Wakefield Post 81 in their respective brackets.
From O'Neill, Wayne Post 43 (14-4) earned the #3 seed during the Class B Area Five Juniors Tourney and will face the host #4 O'Neill at 7 p.m. on July 11.
Earlier this season, the Wayne Juniors suffered a 2-0 loss to Irish Juniors 16u on June 8 in Wayne during the Max Greve Wakefield/Wayne Wood Bat Tourney.
Other first round match-ups will showcase #1 West Point vs. #6 Pierce at 1 p.m. and #2 Central City vs. #5 Lakeview at 4 p.m.
From Hartington, Wakefield Post 81 (4-9) secured the #5 seed and will open the Class C Area One Juniors Tournament against #2 Plainview at 5 p.m. on July 11.
The two teams were scheduled to meet on June 16 but were unable to play due to weather.
Game one will open with #3 Crofton vs. #4 Creighton/Bloomfield/Wausa at 2 p.m. while #1 Hartington and host will close out July 11 against #6 Ponca.
Area winners will join the Class B and C Junior state hosts from July 19 - 23 to make up their respective eight-team brackets. Class B will be at Gering and Class C at Malcolm for Juniors.
Find compete postseason brackets under nelegionbaseball.net.
Post 43 drops twin bill at Malcolm
One day after closing out their respective Ralph Bishop League tournament games playing on their home diamond, Rolling Hills Supply Wayne Post 43 American Legion baseball was back on the road.
From Malcolm, Post 43 traveled to Post 354 on Monday.
The Wayne Seniors (18-2) dropped a 7-2 decision which snapped a seven game winning streak while the Post 43 Juniors suffered a 14-2 loss in five innings falling to 14-4.
In the Seniors contest, Malcolm broke the 2-2 tie scoring three runs in the home half of the fifth and two more runs in the sixth.
Kaleb Moormeier singled twice and drove in a run while Alex Rodriguez singled and drove in a run.
Ethan Synovec singled and scored as other singles were posted by Gavin Redden, Drew Reinhardt and Adrian Contreras. Brodey Munter crossed the plate once.
Gavin Anderson (98 pitches) suffered the loss in four and two-thirds allowing five runs (two earned) off five hits while striking out two batters and walking four. Contreras (22) closed out the final inning and a third allowing two earned runs off two hits while walking two batters.
From the Juniors game, Malcolm did most of their damage in the second inning plating 10 runs.
Chase Nelson doubled while Spencer Moormeier singled and scored.
Other base hits were recorded by Brodey Munter and Reece Ames as Camden Hall also scored.
Ames (29 pitches) suffered the loss in an inning allowing five runs (four earned) off five hits while walking one batter.
Blade Nelson (31) worked a third of an inning allowing eight runs (seven earned) off four hits while walking three batters. Jaxson Kneifl (38) closed out the final two and two-thirds allowing one run off one hit while striking out four batters and walking one.
The Post 43 Seniors are next scheduled to visit Grand Island Home Federal Bank 16u and Five Points Chiefs 18u on Wednesday, June 16 at 5/7 p.m.
The Wayne Juniors will next open Class B Area Five Tournament action in O'Neill on Friday, July 11.
Post 43 has earned the #3 seed and will play the 7 p.m. game against the host #4 O'Neill. Find compete postseason brackets under nelegionbaseball.net.
Wayne Seniors win league finals
It was championship Sunday during the Ralph Bishop League American Legion baseball tournament held in Wayne where the North and South Division teams went to battle on July 6.
#1 (North Division) Rolling Hills Supply Wayne Post 43 won the Senior Division thanks to a 7-0 victory against #3 Lakeview Bank of the Valley Seniors (South Division).
The Wayne Seniors, now 18-1, used an 11-3 advantage in hits.
Jaxson Kneifl singled three times, drove in a run and scored; Brodey Munter singled twice, drove in a run and scored twice as Kaleb Moormeier singled twice and scored. Ethan Synovec doubled, drove in two runs and scored as Hayden Kelley doubled and scored.
Gavin Redden singled and drove in a run; Alex Rodriguez singled as Drew Reinhardt accounted for a RBI and run scored.
Redden (87 pitches) picked up the complete game shutout win in seven innings allowing four hits while striking out six batters, walking one and hitting one.
Junior finals favored #2 Hartington (North) over #1 West Point (South), 8-6; #1 Wayne Post 43 (North) held onto a 5-4 victory against #2 Pender (South) in the Juniors consolation round as #1 West Point (South) defeated #2 Hartington (North), 6-1 in the Seniors consolation round.
Wayne Juniors finish third in league tournament
Following a one-day delay due to weather, four games were held at Hank Overin Field on July 6 for the Ralph Bishop League Tournament.
#1 (North) Rolling Hills Supply Wayne Post 43 picked up a 5-4 win over #2 Pender Frontier Bank Post 55 Juniors (South) to finish third in the Juniors Division.
The Wayne Juniors, now 14-3, came from behind thanks to a pair of runs being scored in the top of the seventh.
Parker Patefield singled twice and drove in four runs while Chase Nelson singled and scored twice.
Brodey Munter and Jaxson Kneifl both singled and scored as Aiden Peterson scored.
Spencer Moormeier (50 pitches) picked up the win in three innings of relief allowing two earned runs off three hits while striking out two batters, walking two and hitting one. Camden Hall (66) started the opening four innings allowing two earned runs off three hits while striking out three batters, walking two and hitting two.
Senior finals favored #1 Wayne Post 43 (North) winning 7-0 over #3 Lakeview (South); #2 Hartington (North) defeated #1 West Point (South), 8-6 in the Junior finals as #1 West Point (South) defeated #2 Hartington (North), 6-1 in the Seniors consolation round.
Wakefield Seniors drop home outing
After being notified the day of that the New Zealand teams were not traveling to Wakefield for Junior/Senior doubleheader, the Wakefield Seniors were able to play over the weekend.
From Eaton Field in Wakefield, Post 81 entertained Malcolm Post 354 on July 6. Instead of playing the New Zealand teams, Wakefield American Legion players and coaches still held a scrimmage on July 4 for their home fans.
During the Sunday lone outing, Malcolm scored two runs in the top of the second and three more runs in the seventh. Final favored Malcolm winning 5-0.
The Post 81 Seniors fell to 7-11.
A second Wakefield vs. Malcolm Seniors game was also played but featured an inter-squad game with mixed teams.
Singles were posted by Adrian Flores, Tanner Thompson, Matthew Metzler and Ruben Vega.
Jesse Lundahl (107 pitches) suffered the complete game loss in seven innings allowing five runs (four earned) off seven hits while striking out seven batters and walking two.
The Wakefield Post 81 Juniors (4-9) have been off since June 28 last suffering an 11-10 loss to Crofton in the first round of the Ralph Bishop League Tourney. Post 81 Juniors will next play on Friday, July 11 during the Class C Area One Tournament hosted by Hartington. Additional details can be found at nelegionbaseball.net.
Post 81 Seniors are off until Area Tourney action beginning Friday, June 25 pending any additions to their schedule.
Wayne Seniors punch ticket to league championship game
Following a day off from competition, Rolling Hills Supply Wayne Post 43 returned to their home diamond for the North Division finals.
From Hank Overin Field, #1 Post 43 competed against #2 Hartington on July 3 during the Ralph Bishop League Tournament.
Wayne used four runs in the third, a 3-1 advantage in the fourth and two more runs in the fifth to pick up the 9-1 win.
Post 43 also outhit Hartington, 13-2 and improved to then 17-1.
Drew Reinhardt singled, tripled and drove in a run; Jaxson Kneifl singled twice, drove in a run and scored; Brodey Munter singled twice and scored twice while Alex Rodriguez singled twice and scored.. Hayden Kelley also doubled and drove in two runs as Ethan Synovec doubled and drove in a run.
Gavin Redden singled, drove in two runs and scored twice; Kaleb Moormeier singled, drove in two runs and scored as Adrian Contreras singled and scored.
Synovec (79 pitches) picked up the complete game victory in five innings allowing one run off two hits while striking out eight batters, walking one and hitting one.
#1 Rolling Hills Supply Wayne Post 43 then won the Ralph Bishop League Senior Championship game played on July 6 in Wayne. Post 43 defeated #3 Lakeview Bank of the Valley (South Division), 7-0.
Wayne Juniors drop to consolation round
After two days in-between action, Rolling Hills Supply Wayne Post 43 Juniors were back in action for the Ralph Bishop League Tourney.
Back at Hank Overin Field in Wayne for the North Division, #1 Wayne entertained #2 Hartington on July 3.
Hartington opened scoring with a 5-1 advantage in the third inning. Wayne Jrs suffered a 7-1 loss falling to then 13-3.
Brodey Munter singled twice, doubled and scored.
Jaxson Kneifl, James Birkel and Reece Ames all singled.
Easton Endicott (71 pitches) suffered the loss in two and two-thirds allowing five runs (one earned) off two hits while striking out and walking six batters each. Spencer Moormeier (56) worked four and a third innings allowing two earned runs off six hits while striking out two batters, walking one and hitting one.
The Wayne Juniors then won 5-4 over #2 Pender Frontier Bank Post 55 (South Division) on July 6 in Wayne during the Ralph Bishop League Juniors consolation game.
