After a walk-off grand slam gave Seward the area B4 tournament title, the Nebraska Door and Window Post 33 seniors opened the America Division of the state tournament Aug. 1 with a 13-5 win over host Springfield and followed that up with a 7-4 win over Wayne Aug. 2.
Seward scored seven runs in the first inning against Springfield. The host post cut the lead to two with five runs in the top of the second, but Seward got those back with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings ended the game early via the run rule.
Bostyn Happ was 3-4 with two RBIs and a run scored from the leadoff spot. Kyle Riley, Quinton Hibbert and Karson Dyer had two hits each, with Riley hitting two doubles.
Deklan Lindau drove in three runs, and Riley, Tyler Hammond and Jesse Leibhart had two RBIs each.
Hammond got the start for NDW and struck out two in 1.1 innings. Lindau and Dyer pitched in relief, with Lindau recording nine strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
Game two pitted Seward against Wayne. Wayne drew first blood with two runs in the third, but Seward scored four in the fourth, two in the sixth and another in the seventh to secure the win.
Happ was 3-4 and Brycen Burt and Dyer had two hits each. Burt, Lindau and Leibhart doubled for Post 33.
Dyer, Burt and Quin Berner saw time on the mound and combined for eight strikeouts.
Seward (34-7) played ETC Post 211 Aug. 3 in the winners’ bracket and fell short 5-4. The team plays Nemaha Aug. 4 in an elimination game.
The NDW seniors finished the area tournament with a pair of wins. Seward beat David City 9-1 July 27 and York 14-4 July 28 to win the tournament.
Hibbert was 4-4 against David City. Hammond, Lindau and Leibhart had two hits each. Hibbert also pitched all six innings for the win.
Seward was able to end the game against York early, thanks to a grand slam by Hunter Harrison in the sixth inning. Seward scored at least one run in each of the six innings.
Happ and Lindau had three hits each, and Hibbert added two with four RBIs.
Burt pitched 4.1 innings and Dyer 1.2 for Seward.
