2017 Northeast Kansas League Legion Baseball Standings - click here

2017 KNZA McDonald's "Player of the Game" selections - click here

AA State Tournament (at Marysville) bracket - click here

AAA State Tournament (at Ottawa) bracket - click here

On Saturday the legion baseball season came to an end for Doniphan County at the AA legion baseball State tournament in Marysville after falling by one-run in eight innings for the second straight day. Beloit took the 5-4 win in the elimination contest. 

An error got Beloit an early base runner in the first and then an RBI double with two-outs produced the first run of the game giving Beloit the initial lead 1-0. Doniphan County had an answer in the bottom of the first scoring two runs on three hits with a two-out two RBI single by Zeb Speer bring in a pair to make it 2-1. Beloit took the lead back plating two in the top of the second and added another run in the fourth, while Doniphan County left the bases loaded in the bottom of the second but in the fourth got an RBI single by Tyler Franken and made it a one-run game again. A leadoff double by Chris Winkel in the fifth proved to be good for Doniphan County as Bryson Kirkland had an RBI single to score Winkel and tie the game at 4-4. Both teams spoiled scoring opportunities in the sixth each stranding two, while in the seventh Beloit left a pair on also and after a one-two-three inning by Beloit against Doniphan County in the bottom of the seventh the game went to extra innings. An error got the leadoff man on for Beloit in the eighth and sac bunt and ground out moved the runner to third but then a throwing error to try and get runner at third allowed him to score making it 5-4 Beloit. Kirkland leadoff the bottom of the eighth with a single for Doniphan County and worked his way to third and with two-outs a passed ball got away from the catcher and Kirkland looked to take home but Beloit recovered and tagged him out at home to end the game. 

In the loss Kirkland tossed eight strong innings giving up five runs (one earned) on 10 hits and a walk with three strikeouts and went 3-4 at the plate earning him McDonald's "Player of the Game" on KNZA. Franken added a 3-4 game with a run scored and RBI, while Reid Greaser was 2-3 with a walk and run scored. 

The loss wraps up the season for Doniphan County at 23-10 as they go 1-2 at State in their ninth appearance at the State tournament fourth straight. While the loss was also the sixth one-run loss at State out of the last seven losses for Doniphan County over the past few years at State .