The Fort Calhoun baseball team fell behind Class B No. 1 Omaha Gross 3-0, battled back to a 4-all tie and nearly pulled off a road upset.
Instead, though, the Cougars claimed a walk-off win, 5-4. They improved to 7-2, while the No. 10 Pioneers dropped to 3-7 with their fourth-straight loss.
FCHS' Kenny Wellwood had two hits in defeat, while notching an RBI. Eric Koterba, Chase Bierman and AJ Duros knocked in a run apiece, too.
Alex Christensen pitched four innings of the Pioneers as well.
Calhoun was scheduled to play West Point GACC on Monday and tentatively set to compete next Friday during the first round of the Nebraska Capitol Conference Tournament. Matchups weren't officially announced as of Sunday.
Pioneers host Thursday triangular
Fort Calhoun hosted two ranked baseball teams Thursday, too.
The Pioneers first played and were defeated by Class C No. 3 Central City/Centura during the triangular's opener before a lopsided loss to Class B No. 8 Wahoo/Neumann.
The Pioneers led the first game of the homestand going into the sixth inning, 5-3, but lost 6-5 when Central City scored three runs during the top half. The loss was FCHS' fifth of the season, while the third-ranked Kernals improved to 6-1.
Coach Roy Prauner's squad fell behind 1-0 and 3-1, but battled back both times to tie the game. It then took its advantage with two runs in the fourth frame when Eli Tinkham and Wellwood scored during a two-out rally. Tinkham was running for Bierman, who doubled to lead off the inning.
Central City battled back after a scoreless fifth-inning, though, stealing the day's first baseball game with a three-run final frame.
The 8-2 Warriors then blasted the hometown Pioneers, 17-1. Calhoun trailed 4-0 after one inning and 6-0 after two before the visitors won by fifth-inning run rule.
FCHS notched its only run of the matchup during the bottom half of the final inning. Trailing by 17, Koterba knocked in Bierman with a hit to centerfield.
FORT CALHOUN BASEBALL LINE SCORES
Saturday
No. 1 Omaha Gross 5, No. 10 Fort Calhoun 4
FCHS (3-7) 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 — 4 6 2
OG (7-2) 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 — 5 8 1
Thursday
No. 8 Wahoo/Neumann 17, No. 10 Fort Calhoun 1, 5 inn.
WN (8-2) 4 2 1 4 6 — 17
FCHS (3-6) 0 0 0 0 1 — 1
No. 3 Central City/Centura 6, No. 10 Fort Calhoun 5, 6 inn.
CCC (6-1) 1 0 2 0 0 3 — 6
FCHS (3-5) 0 1 2 2 0 0 — 5
