STATE BOUND BRAVES

The Council Grove Braves are headed to the Kansas Class 3A State Baseball Championship Tournament as the No. 1 seed after winning two regional games at home Wednesday, May 20.

Council Grove defeated the Cheney Cardinals 6-4 in the first game, then beat the Wichita Collegiate Spartans 10-4 in the regional championship game. With the two wins, the Braves improved their season record to 26-1.

In the opener, Council Grove held off a late Cheney rally to earn the 6-4 victory. Cheney scored first in the third inning when Reece Tolar hit a solo home run to left field. The Braves tied the game in the bottom of the third when a Cheney error allowed a run to score.

Council Grove took the lead in the fourth inning when a wild pitch brought in a run, putting the Braves ahead 2-1. The Braves built the lead from there, then held on as Cheney narrowed the margin late with runs scored on a ground out and another solo home run.

Reid Buttrey earned the win for Council Grove, allowing two hits and three runs over four innings. He struck out 10 and walked one. Colson Hartman started for the Braves and allowed three hits and one run over three innings, striking out three and walking three.

Tolar took the loss for Cheney. He pitched five innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits. He struck out 11 and walked one.

Buttrey also led the Braves at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Luke Stewart also had two hits and stole two bases. Council Grove finished with seven stolen bases in the game. Tolar led Cheney with two RBIs and went 2-for-4.

In the regional championship game, Council Grove used a six-run sixth inning to pull away from Wichita Collegiate for a 10-4 win.

The Braves took an early lead in the first inning when Buttrey singled, scoring two runs. Joshua Senne helped lead the offense with three hits, singling in the first, second and sixth innings.

Wichita Collegiate tied the game in the top of the fifth on an error and an RBI single by Carson Malaise. Council Grove answered in the bottom of the fifth when Stewart hit a sacrifice fly and Hartman drew a walk, each bringing in a run to give the Braves the lead again.

Council Grove broke the game open in the sixth inning. Grady Kepley was hit by a pitch to drive in a run, Dillon McDiffett drew a walk to score a run, David McDiffett walked to bring in another, Maxton Villalobos walked to score a run, Senne added another RBI with a walk, and Bradley Doornbos singled to drive in the sixth run of the inning.

Villalobos earned the win, allowing four hits and no runs over 2 1/3 innings. He struck out one and walked two. Buttrey also pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief, allowing no runs and no hits while striking out two and walking none.

Devin Ritchie took the loss for Wichita Collegiate. He went four innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, with three strikeouts and three walks.

Council Grove collected 11 hits in the championship game. Senne led the Braves with three hits, while Stewart and Doornbos also had multiple hits. Buttrey drove in two runs. The Braves also showed patience at the plate, drawing nine walks. Villalobos and Dillon McDiffett each walked twice.

For Wichita Collegiate, Malaise led the offense with two RBIs and went 2-for-2. Malaise and Jacob Stehley each had two hits.

The regional championship sends Council Grove to the state tournament with one of the strongest records in Kansas Class 3A baseball. The Braves will enter state play at 26-1 and as the tournament’s No. 1 seed.