Legion baseball regular has come to a close for most of the area teams with only one more regular season game left for two NEK League teams coming up on Friday night (Doniphan County at Royal Valley 7:00pm).

Last night (Wednesday, July 17th), it was a non-league showdown for Seneca on the road with Frankfort, while Sabetha traveled to Hiawatha for a league matchup and Doniphan County was slated to host Leavenworth in non-league double-header.

It was an action packed affair on KMZA between Seneca and Frankfort needing extra innings to decide the game, going eight innings with Seneca coming back from a six-run deficit to win 15-9. Frankfort got the offense going early plating seven of their nine runs in the first two innings and lead it 7-1 after two frames, but Seneca chipped away and used a four-run sixth to tie the game and a seven-run top of the eighth to come back and win.

At Noble Park it was all Sabetha on the night using 10 walks and nine hits to pounded out 16 runs and cruise past Hiawatha 16-0 in four innings. Sabetha plated seven in the top of fourth for their best inning with all seven-runs scored with two-outs.

For Doniphan County they were scheduled to take on Leavenworth Geiger Ready Mix team but due to an injury to a player the night before in a contest for Leavenworth they were unable to field a team for the nights contests.

Only one more regular season game looms, coming up tomorrow (Friday, July 19th) then its postseason time for the area teams set to compete in postseason play.

Updated NEK League Legion Standings -- click here
Zone Tournament Brackets -- click here

Seneca Comeback to Top Frankfort with Big Effort by Eric Huerter

In the regular season finale for both teams not much was up for grabs but momentum headed into postseason play. Frankfort got to Seneca early shelling starting pitcher Matt Haverkamp for seven-runs in the first two innings taking an early 7-1 lead, but Seneca settled in with a pitching change and chipped away at the lead to come back to tie the contest at 8-8 with a four-run sixth then use a seven-run top eighth to earn the 15-9 road win.

David Olberding took the mound in the second in relief for Haverkamp and settled things down for Seneca pitching five and two-thirds giving up just a single run on one-hit and few free passes, to earn the win for Seneca.

Offensively Seneca chipped their way back into the game using 14 free passes and clutch hits after Frankfort blasted out of the gate for seven runs. Finally with a four-run sixth, led by Eric Huerter's two RBI double tied the game up for Seneca and after a scoreless seventh inning in which both teams had opportunities to win the game, it went to extra's. In the top of the eight, Seneca's offense hit a groove and plated seven on five hits, led by Huerter's three-run homer. Huerter led Seneca's offensive attack with a 3-4 night with a pair of doubles, a three-run homer and eight RBI  to earn McDonald's "Player of the Game" honors on the radio. Alex Hermesch and Dustin Rottinghaus each added a pair of hits, while Olberding scored three times.

In the loss for Frankfort they used five pitchers, while offensively Sam Steinlage lead the way with a three hit game with two runs scored and Lucas Adams had a pair of hits, three runs scored and two RBI.

With the win Seneca wraps up the regular season at 21-3, while also winning the NEK League title having wrapped that up a few games before, while Frankfort finishes the year 5-7 with the loss. Each team now turns their sights on postseason play Frankfort will play Marysville in Zone 5 AA tourney at Marysville starting Sunday (July 23rd), while Seneca will start postseason play against Hiawatha at 6:00pm on Monday (July 22nd) at Somerset Park in Sabetha in Zone 1 AA.

Sabetha Cruises Past Hiawatha in Four Innings 16-0

Wrapping up the regular season for both Sabetha and Hiawatha it was all Sabetha in the contest as they cruised to a 16-0 win at Noble Park in four innings.

It was a scoreless first between the two then Sabetha opened up the offense plating four in the top of the second to take the early lead and then they added five in the third and burst out for a seven-run fourth, all while keeping Hiawatha scoreless.

Ten walks and nine hits lead the offense on the night for Sabetha with RBI doubles by Keegan Schuman, Nolan Keim and Tyler Ulrich leading the way. Schuman and Keim both finished the night 2-2 with three RBI, while Keim scored three runs and Schuman scored twice. Ulrich joined both of them with a perfect night from the plate also going 1-1 with two runs scored, two RBI and two walks.

While, Sabetha's offense got things rolling on that side it was Blake Popkess on the mound shutting down Hiawatha giving up only four hits and striking out three in four innings of scoreless action.

For Hiawatha in the loss two of their four hits came at the hands of Taylor Jacobsen who was 2-2, while Shawn Green and Baxter DeFore registered the other two hits.

With the win Sabetha finishes the regular season 33-11, string consecutive 30-plus win seasons together, while Hiawatha finishes the regular season 8-23 with the loss. Both teams now set their sights on Zone tournament action coming up on Monday (July 22nd) as they both will play in the Zone 1 AA tournament. Hiawatha will play Seneca at 6:00pm and then the Zone host Sabetha will play Doniphan County at 8:00pm on Monday. (both games can be heard on Kanzaland radio)