The Broken Bow American Legion Seniors baseball team advanced to the West Division Championship Game of the Mid Nebraska League Tournament with a 5-3 win over Gothenburg Tuesday evening. Each team scored a run in the 3rd inning and the game was tied 1-1 going into the fifth. In the fifth, Broken Bow hit two high fly balls to left field which were lost in the sun which resulted in a run. One turned into a double for Blake Denson and the other a single for Sawyer Bumgarner which drove in Denson for the go ahead run. Bow would score again in the 6th on a wild pitch to make the score 3-1 going to the 7th. In the 7th, Bow would pick up some much needed insurance when two runs were able to score on a Max Denson single to make the score 5-1. Those runs would prove to be big as Gothenburg began to come back in their final at bat. Gothenburg would load the bases in the bottom of the 7th bringing the tying run to the plate but they would only be able to score two as Broken Bow held on for the win. Clay Brandon picked up the win going 6 1/3 innings giving up 3 runs on 5 hits and struck out 7. Blake Denson came on in relief to get the final two outs and preserve the win. With the win, Broken Bow advances to the west division championship game where they will play the top seed Ogallala. Ogallala scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th inning Tuesday night to come back and beat Imperial 5-2. Wednesday’s championship game will be in Ogallala with first pitch scheduled for 7 pm central time. The game will be broadcast on KBBN 95.3 FM and on kbbn.com
In the east division playoffs Tuesday night, top seed Palmer-Wolbach-Greeley defeated Grand Island 2-1 and Kearney knocked off the #2 seed Central City 9-5. Kearney will play at PWG for the east division title tonight at 7 pm.
The west division champion will host the east division champion for the league title Friday, July 31st.
