After logging their first win of 2021 Thursday at Vets Field, the Blair Bears traveled for two days of baseball at Lincoln's Densmore Park.
Coach John Roan's team went 0-for-3 during the Lincoln Pius X Thunderbolt Invitational, capping the three-game run with a 13-3 loss to No. 8 Waverly on Saturday afternoon. The Vikings had six more hits than BHS and three less errors.
Senior Nolan Osterhaus led the Bears (1-5 overall) at the plate with two hits and two RBIs, while freshman Brady Brown knocked in another run. Osterhaus, Brown, Shea Wendt and Cade Ulven all hit doubles against Waverly as well.
The Vikings, meanwhile, hit two doubles and a triple. They also stole three bases, improving to 3-3 this season.
To start tourney play, Blair fell to Eastern Midlands Conference foe Elkhorn for the second time this season. The Class B No. 1 Antlers won 14-2 in Friday's first game.
Elkhorn scored eight runs over the first three innings before putting the game away with a six-run fifth. For the game, the Antlers outhit the Bears 10-2.
Blair pitchers Wyatt Ogle and Ulven combined for five innings and five strikeouts in defeat.
In its second game of the opening day, BHS lost to Kearney 3-1. Dex Larsen notched an RBI, and pitcher Tyler Andersen struck out six batters in six innings, but the Bearcats earned the win behind pitcher Cal Higgins. The hurler struck out 12 Bears in just five innings.
Bears pick up first win Thursday
The Blair baseball team started its busy weekend Thursday at Vets Field, picking up its first win of the season.
The Bears started fast with six runs during the first two innings and held off the Platteview Trojans, 9-4. The offensive kick to start was a welcome boost for coach Roan's team.
“Our approach this game was a lot better than we have been doing,” Wendt said. “Coach, throughout practice, has repeatedly said, 'Hunt fastballs. Hunt fastballs.' And I think we did a good job of doing that today.”
Brown led BHS with three hits with two RBIs, while Wendt had two knocks and three RBIs. Osterhaus, Morgan Rump and Canton Lippincott also pushed across runs.
Leading 6-3 midway through the fifth inning, the Bears added their first insurance run when Lippincott drove in Ulven with a sac fly.
An inning later, Bo Nielsen walked and Brown hit a double, setting up Wendt with one out. The third baseman took advantage, hammering a two-RBI double to deep centerfield.
“Put a swing on it and did a job,” he said.
From there, the Bears allowed a run, but finished out the home win. Brown struck out the final batter he faced from the mound, finishing with seven Ks in just three innings of work. Larsen earned the pitching win, striking out six over four frames.
