Right-handed pitcher Tanner Jacobson threw a complete game Tuesday as the Blair Senior Legion baseball team earned a 4-3 home win against Omaha Central.
“It definitely started with the pitching,” Post 154 shortstop Morgan Rump said. “He threw a lot of strikes.”
Jacobson allowed just two hits according to the Vets Field scoreboard, helping his Bears squad improve to 11-12 this season.
“Working through errors. Working through bad pitches,” the hurler said, recapping his keys to victory. “Just keeping your head down and throwing your pitches, and trusting your defense.”
Coach James Bilslend's home team never trailed, building leads of 2-0 and 4-1 before Central threatened its advantage with two runs during the top of the sixth inning.
Bo Nielsen plated Post 154's first run during the second inning. He hit a run-scoring single to right-centerfield after both Greyson Kay and Conner O'Neil hit singles to the outfield, too.
Tyler Andersen later pushed the lead to 2-0 during the second when his RBI single just got by the Central shortstop's glove.
The Bears were challenged by Central's pitching staff as it cycled threw new hurlers every early inning.
“It's definitely a lot harder,” Rump said. “When you see a new arm every inning, you don't really get into a rhythm.”
As a rule, though, Blair remained aggressive, looking for fastballs early in the count.
“I think we did a good job of adjusting and just, kind of, staying true to ourselves,” he said. “Staying consistent.”
After its Omaha opposition pulled within 2-1 during the fourth frame, Post 154 added a pair of runs in the fifth. Rump followed singles by Dylan Swanson and Nate Wachter with an RBI single swing himself. The ball bounced through the infield over second base and into the outfield.
Wachter later scored on a double-steal play as the Bears reached the margin Central couldn't come back from.
Later, up a run, Jacobson took the mound and produced the three final outs. Rump gloved a pop fly at shortstop, Kay tracked down a shallow fly to centerfield and the pitcher squeezed the final out.
“All nine guys were out hustling for every ball, which is the key,” Rump said.
The Post 154 Seniors were scheduled to play Wednesday and next compete 7 p.m. today at Vets Field. The Bears host South Omaha.
Bears beat Omaha North
The Post 154 Bears earned their 10th win of the season last Saturday afternoon, too.
Blair traveled to Omaha North's home field and won, 7-2. They scored runs during the fifth and sixth innings to tie the score twice before earning the win in the seventh with five runs.
Wachter led Blair with three RBIs, while O'Neil — the winning pitcher — had two. O'Neil had three of the Bears' four hits, while Wacther had the other — a double.
Both Jacobson and Kay drew two Blair walks, too.
