Kaden Fletcher's complete-game, three-hitter started the Blair Senior Legion team out with a win during the Eastern Nebraska Baseball League (ENBL) Tournament at Omaha Roncalli.
The Bears beat Wahoo 6-1, earning a crack at the host Kelly Ryan Pride in the quarterfinal nightcap Tuesday. Roncalli won that game, but Post 154 moved onto the next day of competition with a win under its belt at the double-elimination tournament.
“I just went out there, threw strikes and let them hit it. Pitched to contact,” Fletcher said after striking out six Wahoo batters. “Trusted my defense.”
The right-hander's catcher, Conner O'Neil, complimented his hurler's accuracy.
“Even if they hit it, strikes are important,” he said, noting the lack of free bases Fletcher surrendered.
“It's a lot harder to win when they score a lot of unearned runs,” O'Neil said.
Wahoo didn't get any. It's lone, earned run came during the top of the second inning after Blair earned a 1-0 lead in the first. The Bears responded with three runs in the third and then two more in the six for insurance.
“Finally got the run support,” Fletcher said.
The pitcher's squad scored six or more runs just once over their previous 11 games. He notched two RBIs against Wahoo, while Bo Nielsen, O'Neil and TJ Swaney plated one run apiece. Dylan Swanson and Nolan Osterhaus, meanwhile, tallied a team-best two hits each.
Despite the breakthrough at the plate, O'Neil had, arguably, the highlight of the ENBL game. During the top of the seventh inning with no outs, the catcher threw off his mask and chased a foul pop to the backstop, lunging into the net behind the plate for an acrobatic out.
“If I was back there, I probably would have just let it hit the net,” Fletcher said with a smile.
Against Roncalli, Tyler Anderson threw all six innings for Blair, striking out four in the 7-3 loss. Matthew Burns led the Post 154 offense with two RBIs, while Swaney notched two hits.
The Kelly Ryan Pride, meanwhile, scored six third-inning runs to advance in the winner's bracket. The league tournament continued Wednesday and results will appear in a future Enterprise Media Group edition.
Before the start of the ENBL tourney, however, the Bears lost a 12-4 Dave Van Metre Tournament game to Omaha Concordia on Sunday in Brown Park. They scored the first two runs, but the Mustangs notched the next 12 despite only five total hits.
Fletcher led Blair with two RBIs, while Nielsen notched three hits. Fletcher added two hits, while Osterhaus and O'Neil notched one apiece.
Coach James Bilslend's Post 154 team was 8-19 as of Tuesday night's action.
Juniors host ENBL games
The Blair Junior Legion baseball team earned ENBL hosting duties Tuesday, winning their first tournament game against Wahoo 13-4.
The Bears (14-5 overall) ended the game during the fifth inning by run rule. Kaden Sears and Joe Rodriguez were hit by pitches before Hayden Berg delivered a two-out, two-RBI double to close out the victory.
Bracket play continued Wednesday at Vets Field.
Before the start of the ENBL tournament, though, the Juniors earned a 1-0 win Sunday at Papillion-La Vista South. The Bears scored the winning run during the top of the fifth inning when Ethan Baessler stole third base and then scored on an error when a Sears swing put the ball in play.
Lee Chavez-Lara earned the pitching win, throwing the complete-game shutout.
