The Broken Bow American Legion seniors baseball team advanced to the winner’s bracket of the Class B state tournament with an impressive 16-5 win over Minden in the opening round at Paul Brown Field on Saturday. The host team fell behind early as Minden scored 3 runs in the top of the first to take the lead in their first at bat. Broken Bow would respond with 2 runs in the bottom of the first. The Bow seniors then took over in the 2nd inning scoring 5 runs highlighted by a solo home run by Carter Johnson to lead off the inning. It was Johnson’s first home run of the season. Broken Bow then added six more runs in the third and three in the fourth on their way to a 16-5 win. Broken Bow finished with 13 hits in the game. Max Denson finished 3 for 4 at the plate with three runs scored and one RBI. Eli Coble was also 3 for 4 with two runs scored and 1 RBI. Max Denson started the game on the mound going 3 full innings giving up 3 runs on 4 hits and struck out 4. Sawyer Bumgarner pitched two innings of relief giving up two runs on four hits and struck out 4. It is Broken Bow’s first state tournament win at the seniors level since 1979 and their first legion state tournament win at any level since 1985, the last time Broken Bow hosted a state legion baseball tournament at Paul Brown Field. Broken Bow advances to the winner’s bracket where they will play Hickman at 6 p.m. Sunday night. Hickman defeated Blair in the opening round 8-2. The game will be broadcast on KBBN 95.3 FM and kbbn.com
In other action on Saturday, Waverly held off Columbus Lakeview 8-5 and Ogallala scored seven runs in the 7th inning to come back and defeat Valparaiso 8-6.
Sunday’s schedule
9 am – Columbus Lakeview vs Valparaiso (elimination game)
Noon – Minden vs Blair (elimination game)
3 pm – Waverly vs Ogallala (winner’s bracket)
6 pm – Broken Bow vs Hickman (winner’s bracket) – game on KBBN 95.3 FM and kbbn.com
