Colby Gamecocks Stun Seneca in Opening Round of State Tournament

The Colby Gamecocks American Legion baseball team made a resounding statement Friday in their Kansas State Tournament opener, upsetting the No. 3 seed Seneca Legion with a thrilling 12-8 comeback win on July 25 in Hiawatha.

Seeded sixth entering the tournament, Colby weathered early trouble and stormed back with an eight-run rally in the seventh inning to take control of the game for good. Eloy Ruelas led the offensive effort, going 3-for-4 at the plate with three singles and two stolen bases.

The Gamecocks got on the board first in the top of the first inning, scoring on a wild pitch. But Seneca responded forcefully in the bottom half, scoring four runs on a mix of walks, singles, and a groundout to grab a 4-1 lead.

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Undeterred, Colby chipped away. A Talon Andreasen RBI single tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the fifth, though Seneca briefly reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the frame.

That’s when the Gamecocks delivered their decisive blow in the seventh inning.

With Seneca clinging to a 7-4 lead, Colby erupted for eight runs on eight hits. Conner Surmeier’s two-RBI double tied the game and helped fuel the massive rally. Keegan Glassman added a two-run double of his own, and timely singles from Ruelas, Brayden Foss, Max Kersenbrock, and others kept the momentum going.

Brayden Foss earned the win on the mound for Colby after relieving Surmeier in the first inning. Foss worked five innings, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out two. Ruelas also pitched in relief and held Seneca scoreless over the final 1.1 innings to close it out.

At the plate, Colby tallied 11 hits. Alongside Ruelas’s three-hit game, Kersenbrock, Glassman, and Surmeier each drove in two runs. Foss also had two hits and reached base three times. Colby’s aggressive baserunning was another key, highlighted by Ruelas stealing second and later scoring on a heads-up steal of home.

Seneca collected 10 hits of their own and were led by Derek Wurtz and Evan Olberding, who combined for four hits and four RBIs.

Despite their early 4-1 deficit and falling behind again in the fifth, Colby’s relentless effort and late offensive explosion pushed them through to the semifinal round, continuing their postseason run.

With the win, Colby advances to face the winner of the game between Concordia and Marysville.

The Gamecocks’ thrilling victory sets the tone for what could be a deep tournament run—and proves that no seed is safe when Colby’s bats come alive.