For the second straight year Seneca's American Legion baseball squad captures the Northeast Kansas League Preseason Tournament title after taking down Sabetha 11-3 in five innings last night at Somerset park.

Sabetha struck first in the matchup as they looked like they were going to get the bats going early, as shortstop, Nolan Keim lead off the game with a double. Third baseman, Graham Droge then provided an RBI single, with Taylor Bauman the right fielder on the night following Droge with an RBI double, as Droge hustled his way in from first base. Sabetha lead it 2-0 before Seneca even had a chance to take a swing.

Headed into the bottom of the first Seneca got some baserunners themselves, drawing three walks and sprinkling a single from Cody Heiman in the middle. Riley Wells the pitcher for Sabetha walked the bases loaded with two outs and then proceeding walked in the first run of the game for Seneca, to make it 2-1 after one full inning.

Both pitchers in the matchup had their respective pitch counts up early and it looked like whoever could get control would be able to take charge in the game. Well the second inning looked to be better for Dylan Kramer, Seneca's pitcher even though Sabetha tallied another run to now lead it 3-1, but the run was unearned against Kramer, as Sabetha had their baserunner courtesy of an error. Wells, seemed to get himself under control, also in the second, allowing a walk to Seneca, but holding them scoreless.

The third inning is when things would change in the matchup, Kramer would face four Sabetha batters in the third only issuing a walk but working around it. So headed into the bottom of the third Sabetha lead it 3-1 but Sabetha's starter Wells would not make it out of the third inning. Wells gave up four hits, two walks in the inning resulting in Seneca plating six runs to take the 7-3 lead. Perhaps the biggest play of the third inning was a two-out two RBI single by Seneca second baseman, David Olberding who put one into left-center field but it glanced off the glove of Nolan Keim. If Keim, who made an athletic leap attempt to catch the blooper, would have grasped the Olberding hit that would have ended the inning and it would have only been tied.

Kramer who had started to find his groove on the mound for Seneca continued it as he shut Sabetha down three-up three-down the next two innings, as Seneca plated one more run in the fourth and three more in the fifth to run-rule the game at 11-3 in five innings.

Seneca scored their 11 runs on eight walks and nine hits, while Sabetha only tallied three hits, all coming in the first inning.

Offensively for Sabetha Bauman and Keim each had a double while Droge had a single; Bauman and Droge each tallied an RBI. For Seneca Heiman, Eric Huerter and Michael Ohlsen enjoyed multi-hit nights. Huerter and Heiman each had a pair of runs scored, also, while Ohlsen tallied three RBI's.

With the win Seneca stayed undefeated on the season, improving to 5-0, while Sabetha fell to 7-2.

Other finishes in the NEK League Preseason Tournament on Sunday, saw Holton take seventh place with a 15-4 win over Hiawatha in four innings. Royal Valley after forfeiting their first round game came back to take fifth place in the tournament with a 13-5, five inning win over Frankfort, in Royal Valley's first year in the Northeast Kansas League. Atchison took down Doniphan Co. in a tight ball game for third place, that finished with a 5-3 final.

Championship Game Box Score:

Sabetha   2 1 0 0 0 - - Final 3
Seneca    1  0 6 1 3 - - Final 11

Sabetha: 3 hits, 1 error, 3 LOB
         Nolan Keim 1-2 w/2B, RS & RBI; Thaine Allen 0-2; Graham Howard 0-1; Riley Wells 0-3; Graham
         Droge 1-1 w/RS, RBI & BB; Taylor Bauman 1-1 w/2B & RBI; Isaac Russell 0-2; Tate Steinlage
         0-2 w/ROE; Kyle Stallbaumer 0-2; Tyler Edelman 0-0 w/BB; Benji Stoller 0-1 w/RS (RS as
         courtesy runner)

LP: Riley Wells 2 2/3 IP, 5 hits, 7 runs (1 unearned), 6 BB's & 1 K
       Benji Stoller 1 1/3 IP, 3 hits, 1 run & 2 K's
       Tate Steinlage 1/3 IP, 1 hit, 3 runs & 2 BB's

Seneca: 9 hits, 1 error, 7 LOB
       Zach Rottinghaus 1-3 w/2 RS & BB; Dylan Kramer 1-2 w/2 RS & 2 BB's; Eric Huerter 2-4 w/2B, 2 RS
       & RBI; Cody Heiman 2-2 w/2 RS & 2 BB's; Dustin Deters 0-2 w/RBI & BB; Michael Ohslen 2-2 w/RS,
       3 RBI's & BB; Tate Hanzlieck 0-2 w/BB; Alex Hermesch 0-2 w/BB & ROE; David Olberding 1-2 w/RS
       & 2 RBI's

WP: Dylan Kramer 5 IP, 3 hits, 3 runs (1 unearned), 2 BB's & 7 K's