For the second consecutive season the Sabetha Bluejays are heading back to the 3A State Tournament after Thursday night claiming their home regional championship 13-6 over Maur Hill-Mount Academy for the second straight season.

The Bluejays are back to defend their state title from a year ago but this year it was much tougher against the Ravens in the regional final who earlier in the afternoon had to hold on against Nemaha Central in the semifinals 5-3.

Sabetha wasted no time jumping on top of Raven freshman Drew Caudle scoring three runs on RBI singles by Drew Schmelzle and Jake Longabaugh taking advantage of one error and one walk.

The Ravens responded with a run in the third, as Zach Schwinn led off the inning reaching on an error before coming around to score on a sac fly from Aaron Noll. MH-MA could’ve done more damage loading the bases with nobody out, but Sabetha starter Braden Argabright was able to limit the damage to just one run.

After both teams went scoreless in the second the Bluejays tacked on two runs in the third, as once again Schmelzle and Longabaugh each picked up RBI’s.

Argabight then gave the Bluejays an 8-1 in the fourth with a two-RBI single, while the Ravens responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI groundout from Kolbran Korbelik to make it 8-2 after four innings.

Sabetha went on to score another run in the fifth and after the Ravens pulled within four runs on a two-RBI singe from Abe Siebenmorgen the Bluejays put the game out of reach with four runs in the seventh on RBI’s from Joe Gruber, Argabright, Schmelzle and Longabaugh.

MH-MA did score one run in the seventh on an RBI-single from Zach Schwinn, but Joe Gruber was able to get a strikeout and two flyouts to end the game.

The Bluejays were led at the plate by Jake Longabaugh who went 3-for-4 with four RBI’s, while five different batters finished with two hits along with Joe Gruber and Drew Schmelzle each collecting two RBI’s.

Sabetha now awaits their seed for the 3A State Tournament which is scheduled to get underway next Thursday and the Bluejays will head to Emporia with an overall record of 18-3.