×
×
homepage logo

Basehor, St. James, Holton, Spring Hill reach Butch Foster Classic semifinals

By Chris Wristen - | Apr 29, 2010

Chris Wristen

Bonner Springs' Ryan Lawless (21) scored on a wild pitch after driving in two runs with his first-inning triple against Paola.

? The Butch Foster Memorial Baseball Classic kicked off Thursday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

SPRING HILL 15, TONGANOXIE 5

Tonganoxie started strong but couldn’t withstand the momentum as it lost, 15-5, in five innings to Spring Hill Thursday afternoon at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in the first game of the Butch Foster Memorial Baseball Classic.

The Chieftains scored three runs in the first inning, but Spring Hill rallied for four in the bottom of the inning. THS reclaimed the lead as it scored twice in the top of the second, but the Broncos exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the inning and built a commanding 13-5 lead.

After back to back scoreless innings, Spring Hill plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth to complete the mercy-rule victory and advance to the championship semifinals.

HOLTON 8, BONNER SPRINGS 6

The bats came alive too late for the Bonner Springs baseball team as it lost, 8-6, to Holton in the first round of the Butch Foster Memorial Baseball Classic.

The Braves mustered just one hit in the first five innings and dug a 7-0 deficit entering the bottom of the sixth.

The Wildcats plated three runs in the second inning as they capitalized on two BSHS errors. They used a leadoff triple in the fourth inning to scratch across another run and then used a leadoff walk in the fifth to score again and take a 5-0 lead.

Holton strung together three hits in the top of the sixth and produced two more runs.

The 7-0 lead didn’t last long as the Braves finally showed some life at the plate.

Joey Robertson smacked a leadoff single and instantly believed life into the BSHS offense. He advanced to second on an overthrow during a pickoff attempt, and then scored when Ryan Morris pounded a double down the third base line. Joseph Dooley crushed a two-out double that brought home Morris and pulled the Braves within 7-2.

Holton pushed across another run in the top of the seventh for an 8-2 lead, and it turned out to be a good thing because the Wildcats needed all the insurance they could get.

The Braves opened the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back walks. After a ground out by Shawn Jones, Robertson reached on an error and brought home a run. Another run scored on a passed ball. Dalton Vitt singled, and both Robertson and Vitt scored on a single by Brian Callahan, drawing BSHS within 8-6 before the Wildcats recorded the final out.

BASEHOR-LINWOOD 6, PAOLA 5

The Basehor-Linwood baseball team overcame a rough start to claim a 6-5 victory against Paola on Thursday in the first round of the Butch Foster Memorial Baseball Classic.

BLHS pitcher Jeff Johnson walked the first two batters he faced, and both latter scored as Paola claimed an early lead.

The Bobcats regrouped in the bottom of the inning, however, as they pounded four hits and scored four runs. Brandon Leppke led off by blasting a double to deep right-center field. Destry Bryan followed with an infield single. Both runners scored as Ryan Lawless mashed a triple to right field. Lawless scored on a passed ball. Later, Tyler Henley walked and came around to score on a single by Austin Stubbs.

Paola scratched across two runs on three hits in the second inning and tied the score at 4-4.

Paola used two hits to earn another run in the top of the third for a 5-4 lead.

The Panthers would muster no more than one hit in an inning the rest of the way.

Basehor countered in the bottom of the third when Jared Patton hit a leadoff double and came around to score when Henley followed with a two-bagger.

The Bobcats took the lead for good in the sixth when Johnson earned a leadoff walk and later scored to make it 6-5.

ST. JAMES ACADEMY 9, PERRY-LECOMPTON 2

St. James Academy began its Butch Foster Memorial Baseball Classic title defense in style as it hammered Perry-Lecompton, 9-2, on Thursday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

The Thunder used a five-run third inning to seize control of the game.

St. James earned a baserunner in the bottom of the first on an error, but the Thunder were unable to push him across.

Jake Wodtke led off the bottom of the second with a single and later came around to score for a 1-0 lead.

Perry tied the game in the top of the third, but St. James responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning as it took advantage of numerous mistakes by the Kaws.

Austin Murrell reached on an error to start the inning, Calin McCourt followed with a walk and Adam Burns singled to load the bases. Doug Leikam drove in Murrell with a sacrifice fly. Another run scored when Wodtke walked. Nick Deichler doubled and brought home two more runs, and he came around to score when Thomas Maddock reached on an error. Suddenly the Thunder led 6-1 and were in complete control.

Perry scored once in the sixth, and St. James added one run in the fourth and two in the sixth to round out the scoring.

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

Noon — Consolation semifinals: Paola vs. Perry-Lecompton

2:30 p.m. — Championship semifinals: Basehor-Linwood vs. St. James Academy

5:30 p.m. — Consolation semifinals: Tonganoxie vs. Bonner Springs

7:30 p.m. — Championship semifinals: Spring Hill vs. Holton