Concordia Lions Club Pewee Baseball Team Competes in State
The Concordia Lions Club summer baseball team competed in the 65th Kansas State Peewee Association State Tournament after a successful season. Concordia finished the regular season with a 6-4 overall record and finished 2nd in their district to punch their ticket to this season's final tournament.
The team consists of:
- Nolan Reedy
- Hagen Nelson
- Gunnar Nelson
- Brennon James
- Cooper Cox
- Parson Link
- Zyker Starr
- Cooper Lamb
- Jaxon Dutton
- Hoyt Demars
- Blayne Sorensen
- Tyson DeBauche
- Sterling Starr
Brent Cox, Bryan Sorensen, Tom DeBauche, TJ Lamb, and Lance Link are all coaches.
Throughout the regular season, the team was led by Blayne Sorensen with a .577 batting average and a .633 on-base percentage. Sorensen currently leads the team with 15 hits, 2 home runs, and 15 RBI's. Gunnar Nelson leads the team with 8 walks, and Parson Link leads the team with 15 runs scored. Zyker Starr is third on the team in hits and RBIs, and has 2 home runs.
The Kansas State Peewee Association consists of four districts with seven teams in each district. The top three teams from each district then advance to the state tournament held in the middle of July. Below is the completed bracket for the State Tournament held in Blue Springs, Nebraska, from July 13-17.
On Monday, the 13th, Concordia defeated the Beloit Gators 4-3 in walk-off fashion. Concordia took an early lead in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI triple from Blayne Sorenson to drive in Gunnar Nelson, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning. Sorenson was driven in on an RBI groundout from Cooper Cox to give Concordia the 2-0 lead.
Beloit would respond immediately, tying the game with 2 runs in the top of the 2nd and then taking the lead with a run in the top of the 3rd. In the bottom of the 4th, Sorenson led off the inning with a double to right field, after advancing to third on a passed ball. Cox again tied the game with an RBI groundout, scoring Sorenson and making it 3-3.
In extra innings, the game remained tied thanks to solid pitching for Concordia. Cox, Sorenson, and Parson were all on the mound for the game. Link earned the victory, going 3 and 2/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits and striking out nine!
In the bottom of the 6th with two outs, Sorenson, on the first pitch of the at-bat, hit a ball deep to right field, bouncing off the fence and away from the fielder to allow Sorenson to touch all four bags for the inside-the-park walk-off home run! Sorenson finished the game going 3-3 with an RBI triple, a double, and the walk-off home run. Cox was the only other Concordia player with an RBI with his groundout, and Gunnar Nelson drew a walk.
Concordia looked to continue the momentum with a matchup on Tuesday, July 14th, against the Washington Red at 6 pm. Washington finished 1st in District 1 and had a bye for the first round of the state tournament. Concordia's season came to an end with a 4-0 defeat to Washington in the second round.
Washington scored all 4 of their runs in the bottom of the 4th and held Concordia scoreless with an impressive complete-game effort from Brycen L. Concordia was led by Sorenson, who hit a triple and drew a walk. Cox singled, and Starr and DeBauche each drew a walk.
The Lions Club season ended with a 7-5 overall record and a quarterfinal appearance at State. The Hanover Blue team went on to win the state championship.