Class AA Legion baseball state tournament wrapped up today with Iola winning the state title over Hays TMP with a 6-2 win.

Final 2012 Class AA State Legion Tournament bracket (click here) 

1st Round Games (Aug. 1st): 

Game 1: Hays TMP vs. Beloit ---- Hays TMP won 8-7
Game 2: Ellis vs. Silver Lake ---- Silver Lake won 13-3 (6 innings) 
Game 3: Baldwin (14-17) vs. Pratt (10-7) ---- Pratt won 4-1
Game 4: Iola vs. Sabetha --- Iola won 5-0

Game 1: Hays TMP rallied from being down early 4-1 to come away with an 8-7 win over Beloit in the first round action of the Class AA Legion state tournament at Somerset Park. TMP used three pitchers in the game but earned the save and the win as Beloit stranded runners at second and third. Hays will play now at 6pm on Thursday evening in the winners bracket, while Beloit moves to the losers bracket and will play at 10:00am Thursday morning.

Game 2: Silver Lake took win from Ellis by beating them by 10 runs in the second game of the day in the Class AA Legion state tournament with the 13-3 win in six innings. Silver Lake lead a tight game early 3-2 before shortshop, Aaron Seele had to be carted off the field with a broken leg. After a long delay Silver Lake would open up an onslaught of offense scoring their final 10 runs in one inning. Silver Lake will play Hays TMP in the winner's bracket at 6pm, while Ellis will face off against Beloit in the first elimination game of the tournament Thursday morning at 10:00am.

Game 3: Pratt methodically worked throughout the game never scoring more than one run in an inning and spacing out the scoring of their four runs, but it proved to be more than enough as they held Baldwin to only one run in the game. Pratt the two-time defending state champions advanced on in the winner's bracket to play the late game Thursday night, while Baldwin fell to the loser's bracket after a first round loss for the second straight year.

Game 4: Iola controlled the matchup against Sabetha in the fourth and final game of the first round of the Class AA state legion tournament. It was a stellar pitching outing by Iola pitcher, Jerrick Sigg that highlighted the game as he pitched a complete game shutout giving up only five hits and two free passes on the night. Iola struck with one run early off a peculiar first inning that featured a hit batsmen, an error, infield hit and fielder's choice that lead to the run. Sabetha struggled to get runs on the base pads throughout the night only having multiple baserunners in a inning twice, leaving the bases loaded in the sixth. Iola plated their remaining four runs, by scoring three in the fifth behind three hits and a walk and then scored their final run in the sixth. Brenden Garrett who pitched a solid game for Sabetha was given the loss as he went five and two-thirds innings giving up five runs on six hits, four walks and one hit batsmen; Graham Howard pitched the remaining inning and a third in relief.

Iola's pitcher, Sigg not only dominated on the mound but had a great offensive night going 2-4 with four RBI and a run scored. For Sabetha only three players registered hits with Nolan Keim and Tate Steinlage each tallied a pair of hits, and Riley Wells getting the other. Keim with his single and double on the night earned the McDonald's "Player of the Game" honors in the loss. Sabetha now looks to stay alive in the state tournament as they will face Baldwin Thursday following the morning game, in what will be the tournaments second elimination game. Iola now has a date with the two-time defending champs, Pratt in the nightcap Thursday at Somerset park in the winners bracket.

Day 2 (Aug. 2nd): (Games delayed start by 1.5 this morning)

Game 5: Beloit vs. Ellis (Elimination Game) ---- Beloit won 6-0
Game 6: Baldwin vs. Sabetha (Elimination Game) ---- Sabetha won 7-6
Game 7: Hays TMP vs. Silver Lake (Winners bracket) ---- Hays TMP won 5-0
Game 8: Pratt vs. Iola (Winners bracket) --- Iola won 7-6

Game 5: Beloit stayed alive in the Class AA state legion tournament at Somerset Park with a 6-0 win over Ellis. Beloit struck early plating one run in both the second and third innings. Ellis would threaten a few times in the game but ultimately come up short each time trying to plate a run. Beloit would add four runs in the sixth to round out the game and stay alive to advance in the loser bracket where they will play in the second game tomorrow morning versus the loser of the Iola vs. Pratt game tonight. 

Game 6: It was a see-saw game between Baldwin and Sabetha in the second elimination game of the day as the two teams traded leads throughout the game. Sabetha like their first game found themselves down in the contest before they even had an opportunity to step to the plate as Baldwin plated a run in the first. Sabetha would answer and take the lead in the second with two runs off a pair of hits and an error in the inning. Baldwin would then waste no time to regain the lead with three runs in the third on three hits and a walk. Then Sabetha would bat around in the fourth without getting a hit and plate three of their own runs to take the lead back at 5-4, scoring their three runs on four walks and two errors in the inning. Behind a leadoff triple in the fifth, a couple of singles and a Sabetha error Baldwin regained the lead by one 6-5 with two runs. 

Headed to the bottom of the sixth down 6-5, Sabetha rallied with two outs in the inning stringing a double and two singles together, by Nolan Keim, Kyle Stallbaumer and Graham Droge, respectively to plate two runs and take the lead 7-6. Sabetha would turn things over to their fourth pitcher of the day Droge and he would reitre the side after giving up a walk to Baldwin in the seventh to preserve the Sabetha win. 

Stallbaumer in one and one-third innning of relief earned the pitching win with Droge earning the save. Both gentlemen had RBI singles in the sixth to help Sabetha tie the game and take the lead. Stallbaumer went 1-3 with a run scored, while Droge was 2-4 with an RBI, both gentlemen earned the McDonald's "Player of the Game" honors. Baldwin was lead by Colton Stark who was credited with the loss after coming into the game in relief for starter Tyler Cawley; Stark offensively went 2-2 with a triple two runs scored, an RBI and two walks. Shortshop, Brock Randels also had two hits for Baldwin in the loss. 

With the win Sabetha stays alive in the state tournament and will play Friday morning at 10:00am in the first game of the day against the loser of the Hays TMP versus Silver Lake matchup later tonight.

Game 7: Hays TMP behind a stellar pitching outing from Pierce Schippers earned a 5-0 win over Silver Lake to continue on in the winners bracket of the Class AA state legion tournament. Schippers pitched a complete game three-hit shutout and helped himself offensively scoring two of the five TMP runs. Seven players for TMP finished the game with at least one hit to their credit in the 5-0 win. Hays TMP will play the winner of the nightcap of Pratt and Iola in the winners bracket Friday at 6:00pm, while Silver Lake is alive falling to the loser's bracket where they will play at 10:00am against Sabetha, Friday.

Game 8: It was a close game throughout and it went down to the final out of the game before it was officially decided between Iola and the two-time defending state champs Pratt. Tied 4-4 going into the seventh inning Pratt was behind the plate in the top half of the inning looking for a spark and they plated two runs to take the lead. Iola didn't fold down by two runs they rallied off three of their own in the bottom of the seventh to win it with a two-out walk-off two-run double by catcher, Drew Walden. Iola used three pitchers in the game, Levi Ashmore got the win. Iola continues in the winners bracket, Friday versus Hays TMP at 6:00pm, while Pratt falls to the losers bracket and will play Beloit in the second game of the day.

Day 3 (Aug. 3rd):

Game 9: Silver Lake vs. Sabetha (Elimination Game) ---- Silver Lake won 6-2
Game 10: Beloit vs. Pratt (Elimination Game) --- Pratt won 16-8
Game 11: Hays TMP vs. Iola (Winners bracket) ---- Iola won 8-6 (9 innings)
Game 12: Silver Lake vs. Pratt --- Pratt won 5-4

Game 9: In the first elimination game of day three of the Class AA state legion tournament at Somerset Park, Sabetha and Silver Lake meet up on the baseball diamond. Silver Lake utilitized a stellar pitching outing from Tyler Brown who threw a complete game three-hitter on only 80 pitches, with three strikeouts and three hit batsman. The offense struggled for Sabetha and just like in the first two games of state they saw their opponent take the first lead of the game and it proved to be enough for Silver Lake who wouldn't relinquish the lead. Silver Lake struck first in the third with a leadoff solo home run by Tyler Seele and then scored a run on a walk after four walks in the inning. Silver Lake then added two more in the fourth, before Sabetha would try and mount the comeback cuttting the lead in two by scoring two runs of their own in the sixth.

Sabetha scored their two runs on three Silver Lake errors and a hit batsmen, as Sabetha didn't register a hit in that inning, only tallying three hits in the game. Silver Lake add two insurance runs in the seventh, to win it 6-2. Offensively Benji Stoller, Riley Wells an Tate Steinlage each had a hit, while Steinlage was on base all three bats earning him the McDonald's "Player of the Game" honors in the loss. For Silver Lake every batter was on the basepads at least once either via an error, walk or hit while the team tallied nine total hits. Seele lead the way with his 3-5 night with a solo home run, a run scored and three RBI. Silver Lake continues along in the tournament to play tonight at 8:30pm versus the winner of the Pratt vs. Beloit, elimination game.

Game 10: The two-time defending state champs, Pratt stay alive with a win over Beloit in the second elimination game of the day, to keep their chances alive of repeating once more. Pratt handled the game throughout winning by doubling up Beloit 16-8. Pratt now advances on later to play Silver Lake in the third elimination game of the day.

Game 11: It was one of the most exciting games of the Class AA state legion baseball tournament in the winners bracket game as Hays TMP and Iola meet up on the diamond. This one would need extra innings to decide the only team remaining without a loss in the tournament. Hays TMP lead multiple times in the game 3-0 and 6-4 early, but Iola tied the game in the fifth but couldn't get the winning run home late and stranded 11 baserunners on the night.

The fourth Iola pitcher on the night, Jerrick Sigg earned the win as pitched the remaining part of the game coming in the eighth inning with two on and one out. Sigg, also registered two hits on the night, while Levi Ashmore scored three runs for Iola in the win, who now sits one win away for the state title. Hays TMP will play early Saturday morning in the first game against the winner of the Silver Lake versus Pratt game.

Game 12: After surviving early elimination games Pratt and Silver Lake meet up in the nightcap in another elimination game. The two time defending champs, Pratt look like they had things in control up 4-0 going into the sixth but Silver Lake wouldn't go quietly as they scored four runs to tie the game up. Pratt then answered with the game winning run in the seventh to notch the 5-4 win and stay alive in the state tournament to face Hays TMP in another elimination game on Saturday.

Day 4 (Aug. 4th):

Game 13: Pratt vs. Hays TMP (Elimination Game) --- Hays TMP won 2-1
Game 14: Hays TMP vs. Iola --- Hays TMP won 5-3

Game 13: To stay alive in the tournament and need two wins to take the state title it was Pratt and Hays TMP meeting up on the diamond. It was a tight ballgame all the way through and Hays TMP snuck away with the win in the bottom of the seventh after scoring the game winning run in their 2-1 win off a wild pitch with two outs in the seventh. Shane Zimmerman pitched a complete game two-hitter for Hays TMP in the win, as they advance on to play Iola, but would need a win to force another game on Sunday.

Game 14: Iola one win away from being crowded Class AA state legion baseball champs but would have to take on Hays TMP to claim that crown. TMP riding high off their electric win earlier in the day translated that momentum into this game and an early 5-0 lead in the game of Iola, just after two innings. But Iola fought back into the game plating three runs but that was it and fell 5-3 as Shane Zimmerman came in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and one out and got two strikeouts for the save to preserve the win for Hays TMP. Pierce Schippers went five innings of shutout ball only giving up hits for the win for Hays TMP, who forced a second game with Iola, Sunday morning at 10:00am at Somerset park for the Class AA state legion crown.

Day 5 (Aug. 5th):

Game 15: Hays TMP vs. Iola --- Iola won 6-2

Game 15: For the third time Iola and Hays TMP meet up on the diamond at Somerset Park this time for the Class AA legion baseball state title up for grabs. Iola took the early lead and led it 6-0 after three innings and didn't look back from there, to win their first state title since 1988. Hays TMP finally got on the board later in the game plating two runs but struggled in the game as Iola pitcher, Dalton Smith threw a complete game two-hitter and finished the game 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Overall in the tournament for Iola they saw solid performances all around as Jacob fouts had eight hits in the tourney, Shane Zimmerman had seven hits plus a complete game win and two saves, while Pierce Schippers pitched 12 total innings of ball giving up zero runs on seven hits and a walk. Jerrick Sigg also had a solid state tournament for the champs going 9-18 offensively, as he won the state legion batting title.

Iola moves to regionals with the state title win and are now 41-4 on the season, Hays TMP who went 4-2 at the state tourney finish as the runner-up and a 21-13 record on the season.