By CHRISTIAN D ORR
Kansas Preps Weekly
The spring season is in full swing across the scene in Kansas High School athletics, including the NCAA league where teams have begun play each other in NCAA action, which saw Saline county rivals Southeast of Saline and Sacred Heart meet up on the baseball and softball fields this past week.
The Trojans from Southeast of Saline were able to sweep both baseball and softball NCAA doubleheaders from the Knights and Lady Knights on Tuesday.
Here is a look at what each of the six NCAA schools’ respective teams did in the action in the past week :
BELOIT
The Beloit baseball and softball teams stepped outside of NCAA action this past Tuesday when they took on the North Central Kansas League’s Clay Center Tigers and Lady Tigers. The Trojan baseball team got swept by Clay Center in the non-league affair, falling 13-2 and 17-3 while the Lady Trojan softball team was able to split its non-league doubleheader against Clay Center, as they lost the opener 4-3 but bounced back to win the nightcap 9-6.
ELLSWORTH
The Ellsworth baseball and softball teams got an early start to action this past week with opposite results as they both stepped outside of NCAA action on Monday to play Ellinwood in doubleheaders with the Bearcat baseball team getting swept by Ellinwood, falling 5-4 and 11-10 while the Lady Bearcat softball team swept Ellinwood by scores of 24-0 and 23-4. The Ellsworth track teams got into action on Tuesday when they hosted a meet where the Bearcat girls finished in 4th place with 45 points while the Bearcat boys finished in 6th place with 42 points. The Ellsworth track teams were in action again on Friday when they traveled to Smoky Valley to compete in the Southeast of Saline invitational where the Bearcat boys finished in 10th place with 11.5 points while the Lady Bearcats finished in 8th place with 24 points.
MINNEAPOLIS
The Minneapolis baseball and softball teams got into NCAA action on Tuesday when they both played Republic County as the Lion baseball team split their NCAA doubleheader against the Buffs, winning the opener 11-9 but falling in the 2nd game 21-11. The Lady Lion softball team swept its doubleheader against Republic County winning 15-8 and 15-3. The Minneapolis track teams were in action on Tuesday at Ellsworth where the boys finished in 7th place with 32 points while the Lady Lions finished in 8th place with 41 points.
REPUBLIC COUNTY
The Republic County baseball and softball teams got into NCAA action on Tuesday when they both play Minneapolis with the Buff baseball team splitting the NCAA doubleheader against the Lions as they lost the opener 11-9, but came back to win the nightcap 21-11. The softball team, meanwhile, got swept in their NCAA doubleheader against Minneapolis, falling 15-8 and 15-4. The Lady Buff softball team rebounded on Thursday when they stepped outside of NCAA action and swept a doubleheader from the North Central Kansas League’s Concordia, winning 15-0 and 21-1.
SACRED HEART
The Sacred Heart baseball and softball teams not only saw NCAA action on Tuesday, but also Saline county action when they both played Saline County rival Southeast of Saline, with the Knights baseball team splitting the NCAA doubleheader as they lost the opener 11-8 but taking the nightcap 8-2. The Lady Knight softball team got swept the Lady Trojans by scores of 18-0 and 20-0. The Sacred Heart track teams were in action on Tuesday at Ellsworth where the Knight boys finished in 11th place with 1 point while the Lady Knights finished in 3rd place with 65 points.
SOUTHEAST OF SALINE
The Southeast of Saline baseball and softball teams saw Saline County action on Tuesday as they both played NCAA doubleheaders against Sacred Heart. The Trojan baseball team won the opener 11-8 against Sacred Heart, but couldn’t keep the momentum alive as they lost the nightcap 8-2. The Lady Trojan softball team, meanwhile, swept its NCAA doubleheader against Sacred Heart winning 18-0 and 20-0. The Southeast of Saline track teams competed at Ellsworth on Tuesday where the boy s finished in 8th place with 21 points while the Lady Trojans finished in 13th place with 4 points. The track teams then hosted a meet at Smoky Valley High School on Friday where the Trojan boys won the meet with 107 points while the Lady Trojans finished in 7th place with 35 points. The Southeast of Saline baseball and softball teams stepped outside of NCAA action on Friday when they played host to Chapman as the Trojan baseball team got swept 15-10 and 16-10 and the Lady Trojan softball team turned the tables on Chapman as they swept the Lady Irish by scores of 2-0 and 10-0.
