American Legion AAA Zone Tournament Hays vs Great Bend 7-15-17

A humid morning turned into a hotter afternoon as the Great Bend Chiefs and the Hays Eagles squared off in the American Legion Baseball AAA Zone Tournament. This game would decide the team to face McPherson for a berth to the State Tournament.

Both teams sent players to the plate, but none of them could get the man around the horn to reach home until the sixth inning. In that late frame, Great Bend put up three runs that sealed the victory for the Chiefs.

The Chiefs’ players would only have a short time to rest before they faced the McPherson Seniors in about 30 minutes.

Below are some of the pictures I took at the game:

Click here to purchase prints or downloads of these pictures.

Members of the Hays Eagles hold up their hands for the Sportsmans Oath prior to the start of the game. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Cheifs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Hays Eagle Head Coach Dustin Schumacher (#29) and Great Bend Chief Head Coach Mike Perry (#26) meet with the Umpire crew prior to the start of the game. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Cheifs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Logan Perry (#13) throws a pitch in the top of the first inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Cheifs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Hays Eagle Brady Kreutzer (#21) gets back to the back as Great Bend Chief Brayden Smith (#9) tries to tag him out in the top of the first inning. He was ruled safe. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Cheifs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Brice Kaiser (#19) lines up a pop up from Hays Eagle Dawson Harman (#2) in the top of the second inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Hays Eagle Trey Riggs (#8) looks back at the runner on first base in the bottom of the first inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Cory Burnham (#10) watches a pitch as he bats in the bottom of the second inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Konner Ireland (#11) looks to Hays Eagle Trey Riggs (#8) as he gets a lead off in the bottom of the first inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Logan Perry (#13) swings at a pitch in the bottom of the second inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Brice Kaiser (#19) throws back a ball he just caught in the outfield. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Payton Mauler (#12) swings at a pitch in the bottom of the second inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Logan Perry (#13) throws a pitch in the top of the third inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Brayden Smith (#9) throws a pitch in the top of the third inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Hays Eagle Jace Armstrong (#10) goes back near the fence to catch a fly ball from Great Bend Chief Brayden Smith (#9) in the top of the third inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Konner Ireland (#11) throws to first base after getting Hays Eagle Cole Murphy (#23) with a force out at second base in the top of the fourth inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Jared Maneth (#7) lines up to catch a pitch coming in at the knees of Hays Eagle Palmer Hutchinson (#3) in the top of the fifth inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Konner Ireland (#11) watches a pitch go by him in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Hays Eagle Cole Murphy (#23) gets under a fly ball from Great Bend Chief Konner Ireland (#11) in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Hays Eagle Grant Coffman (#17) reaches up to catch a pop up fly ball by Great Bend Chief Jared Maneth (#7) in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Great Bend Chief Konner Ireland (#11) tries to tag out Hays Eagle Dawson Harman (#2) at second base in the top of the sixth inning. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Members of the Hays Eagles and Great Bend Chiefs shake hand following the game. The Great Bend American Legion Post 180 AAA Chiefs defeated the Hays American Legion Post 173 AAA Eagles 3 to 1 to advance to the AAA Zone 8 Championship at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas on July 15, 2017. (Photo: Joey Bahr, www.joeybahr.com)

Click here to purchase prints or downloads of these pictures.