Layne Downing and Kyler Niernberger both had two hits to lead the Hays Eagles Senior American Legion to a 5-3 win over the Hays Monarchs in the season opener for both Wednesday night at Larks Park.

The Eagles built a 4-0 lead after five innings, scoring single runs in the first and second then two in the fourth. Downing drove in the first run with an RBI single in the first inning. They scored their second run on a error on Monarch first baseman Ryan Schippers. Their two runs in the fourth came without a hit, scoring on a groundout and an error.

The Monarchs rallied with two in the sixth on a bases loaded walk by Schippers and then scored on a double play off the bat of Jordan Gottschalk.

Hays got one run back in the bottom of the inning on Daniel Bittel’s RBI single.

The Monarchs scored in the seventh on a double play and had the tying run aboard when Cameron Klaus got a ground out to get out of the jam.

Klaus would retire all seven that he faced for the save. Brady Bieker didn’t allow a run on one hit over three innings for the win.

The Senior Legion is back in action this weekend at a tournament in Manhattan. The Monarchs are off until June 9th when they travel to Ellis for a doubleheader.