By Wade Gerstner

Memorial Day was a fantastic day to be a Silver Lake Eagle as both the baseball and softball teams are now one step closer to a state title.

BASEBALL: Silver Lake 1, Council Grove 0

In the 3A State Baseball Quarterfinal in Emporia on Monday morning, the #8 seed Silver Lake Eagles knocked off the #1 seed, Council Grove Braves, 1-0.

It was the 2^nd straight year that Silver Lake ended the Council Grove baseball season as last year the Eagles defeated the Braves 3-0 in the Regional Championship.

This time around, the Eagle pitchers had the Braves number again as freshman Kipton Kruger and senior Dayne Johnson combined for a 3 hit shutout.

Kruger went the first 5 innings allowing only 3 singles. Johnson shut the door on the Braves for the final 6 outs to preserve the low scoring win, 1-0.

The only run of the game came in the top of the 2^nd as Kipton Kruger led off with a walk and after a one-out walk to Dom Monhollon, Jaxton Ross served up a bloop double into right field to score Kruger.

The biggest threat to getting the victory for Silver Lake came in the bottom of the 5^th as the Braves had runners on 1^st and 2^nd with 2 out as Kruger plunked back-to-back Council Grove batters.

Bradley Doornbos delivered a single to left field that normally would have scored the runner from 2^nd to tie the game, but left fielder Jaxton Ross charged the ball and threw home in a hurry to force the Braves to hold the tying runner at 3^rd.  Kruger escaped the based loaded pickle inducing Reid Buttrey to hit into a force out to squash the Braves’ last threat.

With the win, Silver Lake improves to 17-11 and moves on to the 3A State Semifinals at 3:30 pm on Wednesday in Manhattan to face #4 Russell/Victoria (23-5) who defeated Colby 3-0.

You can listen to that semifinal on 96.9 the Pulse, the FREE MSC Radio App and online at mscsports.net

SOFTBALL: Silver Lake 10, Colby 0 (5 innings)

Later, on Monday, the #3 seed Lady Eagle softball team followed the baseball team’s lead as they rolled to an easy 10-0 win in 5 innings over the #6 seed Colby.

Silver Lake scored 3 runs on 3 hits in each of the first 3 innings to take a 9-0 lead after the 3^rd. That was plenty of offensive firepower for starting pitcher, Riley Mohler, who threw a 5 inning complete game, allowing just 1 hit, striking out 10 Colby batters, and issued just 1 walk.

Offensively, sophomore shortstop Saylor Liggatt went 4-4 with 2 runs scored and 4 RBI, including a bases clearing triple in the 3^rd.  Kailyn Hanni went 3-4 and scored 3 runs, while McKenna Harris delivered a clutch, 2 run single in the 1^st.  Savanah Wende added 2 RBI and Mariah Kortan had a good day at the plate, going 2-3 with 2 runs scored.

Silver Lake moves their record to 26-4 and advances to Wednesday’s 3A State Semifinal at 1 p.m. in Lawrence to face #2 seed Haven (28-2) who got past Baxter Springs 8-4.

You can listen to that semifinal on 103.9 KNZA, the FREE MSC Radio App, and online at mscsports.net