The Class C No. 5 Fort Calhoun baseball team broke the school record for wins in a season April 19.
It'll end this campaign as the only Pioneers group to finish with a winning record.
And, on Friday, FCHS celebrated the senior class that has helped make it all possible. Eric Koterba, Kenny Wellwood, Chase Premer, Sam Genoways, Levi Lasher, Charlie Boumstein, Alex Christensen, Max Halford, Abe Parys and Travis Skelton were recognized alongside their parents after an 8-1 home win — their team's 12th of the spring — against South Sioux City.
“We're doing things that this program has really never done,” Premer said after the fact. “It's all new to us, but everyone feels comfortable.”
As an example, the Pioneers (13-4 overall) didn't panic when the Cardinals evened Friday's score at 1-1 during the third inning. Instead, coach Roy Prauner's squad scored the next seven runs for a seven-run victory.
Christensen was the standout at the plate, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs against SSC. He pushed the game's first run across home plate during the first inning, had an RBI single in the fourth and hit a two-run single up the middle of the diamond during the sixth.
“It's fun to watch him, you know?” Boumstein said. “You just kind of know when he's going up there that he's going to be aggressive and he's going to get a good knock for the team.”
Premer complimented the first baseman, too.
“He's always consistent,” the catcher said. “He's always the same guy every day and he kind of brings that to baseball a little bit.”
Premer himself went 3-for-3 at the plate, driving in Genoways with a triple over the Cardinal right fielder's head during the fourth inning. Boumstein and junior Eli Tinkham plated runs in the win as well, while Genoways allowed just two hits from the mound. The winning pitcher had eight strikeouts.
On Saturday, FCHS played a makeup game against Omaha Bryan, winning it 12-0, too. The Pioneers jumped out to a 10-0 road lead before the host Bears even had a chance at the plate.
Premer was 3-for-3 again, totaling four RBIs with a pair of doubles. Genoways and Presley Olberding plated two runs apiece, too, while Tinkham and Skelton each had one.
Tinkham, Levi Lasher and Chase Bierman all pitched for the Pioneers, combining for six strikeouts during the run-rule shortened game.
The night before, Boumstein, a transfer student this school year, reflected on what will be his lone season at FCHS.
“It's been really fun playing with them all,” he said. “I feel like we all have the same goals in mind.”
The Pioneers continue to chase those goals 4:30 p.m. today at home against Thurston-Cuming County.
FCHS BASEBALL LINE SCORES
Saturday
No. 5 Fort Calhoun 12, Omaha Bryan 0, 5 inn.
FCHS (13-4) 10 1 0 0 1 — 12 8 1
OB (6-14) 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 4 7
Friday
No. 5 Fort Calhoun 8, South Sioux City 1
SSC (5-7) 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 — 1 2 3
FCHS (12-4) 1 0 0 2 0 5 X — 8 8 3
