By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

Hays and Salina's pitchers threw in sweltering 105-degree conditions and couldn't last more than a few outs early in Wednesday's game at Larks Park.

At the end of four innings, Hays led Salina 8-6. Both teams had to use two pitchers to soak up 12 outs. The first eight half innings all yielded at least one run, displaying a 1-1-3-1 linescore for Salina and 2-2-1-3 for Hays.

"I was wondering when either team was going to put a goose egg up there," Hays Senior Legion head coach Mike Jenner said.

Then, Eagles right-hander Logan Downing, who relieved in the fourth inning, shut out Salina in the fifth -- and every inning afterward.

Hays tacked on three more insurance runs and cruised to an 11-6 victory in the Class AAA Zone 7 Tournament winners' bracket.

"Logan settled in and pitched real well," Jenner said.

The Eagles (27-14) are 2-0 in the zone play and will face Salina at 4 p.m. today at Larks Park in the championship. Dodge City, which won just 10 games all year, knocked out Great Bend, 8-4, in a losers' bracket contest before Hays faced Salina on Wednesday.

"That was kind of a shocker for everybody, but Great Bend, you could tell some of their guys weren't into it," Jenner said. "I think they were ready for the summer to be over."

Salina defeated Dodge City 10-5 Wednesday night in an elimination game. Now, Salina has to beat Hays twice, while the Eagles just have to win one game. A second game, if necessary, is slated for 7 p.m.

"It's now or never," Downing said. "Our pitching has been good, just making the simple plays has just been putting us down. Let's put our A game out."

A Hays victory would give the Legion its first trip to state since 2004 when a team led by Dusty Washburn, Aaron Breit and Brock Nehls qualified.

Many of the current players reached state at the junior legion ranks in 2006. At the varsity level, though, they've only been as far as the sub-state championship game in spring ball.

"It will be a pretty big deal to make it to state and then bring home the title," Downing, a Class 5A second team all-state pitcher for the Indians, said. "It would mean the world to all of us."

Downing (3-2) took a big step for Hays reaching its goal with his performance Wednesday. The right-hander worked 5Ôªø2âÑ3 shutout innings, struck out five batters against three singles and two walks. Next to a no-hitter against Dodge City on April 1 for Hays High, Downing called Wednesday his "most consistent performance" on "one of the hottest days" he has pitched all season.

"It's all about keeping composure," Downing said.

The Eagles offense supplied another huge night. On Tuesday, they scored a season-high 23 runs in the zone opener against Dodge City. Versus Salina, they tallied 11 more, the third time this season (first time not against Russell) they scored in double figures in back-to-back games.

"We faced a little better pitching, but we still hit the ball when we needed it," Jenner said.

Eight starters produced at least one hit and seven scored at least one run. Downing's performance and the offense yielded the Eagles' fourth straight win, one off its season-high.

Jenner, though, said this was the best stretch Hays has had all year.

"To still be playing this well (this late) a lot of teams start getting tired, tired arms," he said. "So far, we haven't seen any of that."

Everyone was tired early Wednesday. Hays starter Travis Budke, 6-1 this summer including two wins against Salina, allowed six runs and worked just 10 outs. Salina starter Conner Martin went 1Ôªø1âÑ3 innings and gave up four runs.

Hays scored four more against Wyatt Hall, at least one in every inning, and took the 8-6 lead after four. Downing, who was supposed to throw today, relieved Budke in the fourth.

"(Budke) was struggling out there and I figured we have got to win this game to put us in the drivers' seat, so we go with Logan," Jenner said.

Downing permitted one inherited runner to score on a ground ball and then put the zero in the fifth.

"When I was in the bullpen, it didn't look so good," Downing said.

"I was kind of nervous, I was like let's see if I can get all of my bad pitches out now and come out here."

It was the first one scoreless half inning all game.

"That was a big inning," Jenner said.

Downing's mentality was "throw it over the plate and get ground balls." Mixing a four-seam fastball half the time with his curve and an occasional changeup, it worked on the hot day.

The right-hander, who said he went through "four or five Gatorades" and tried to stay cool between innings, coaxed six ground ball outs and two double plays. No runner reached third. He struck out the side in the ninth to seal the win.

"Once I got into my groove, I thought okay, I can do this," he said.