The Fort Calhoun High School baseball team's unbeaten start to the season ended Saturday at home.
Omaha World-Herald Class C No. 1 Malcolm bested the No. 10 Pioneers 17-1 in six innings, using a 10-run top of the sixth inning to introduce a run-rule stoppage. Coach Roy Prauner's FCHS squad was 3-1 going into Monday's game at Tekamah-Herman with wins against Wayne, Plattsmouth and Louisville.
The Pioneers fell behind the Clippers on Saturday, though. The road lineup's lead reached 7-0 before Calhoun scored its first and only run during the bottom of the fifth frame.
Alex Christensen and Eric Koterba collected hits for Coach Prauner's squad with Koterba plating Eli Tinkham for their team's only run.
FCHS pitcher Sam Genoways threw four innings, allowing four earned runs despite his four strikeouts.
Pioneers rout Louisville
Louisville earned a 5-0 lead Friday, but FCHS still routed the home squad by eight runs, 13-5.
The Pioneers combined for 11 runs across the third, fourth and fifth innings for their third victory of the season. Kenny Wellwood was Coach Prauner's most prolific hitter in the game, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs and four runs scored.
Tinkham and Genoways added two RBIs apiece, too, while Charlie Boumstein, Chase Bierman and Christensen notched one each. Like Genoways, Koterba scored three Pioneer runs.
Defensively, Christensen earned the pitching win, throwing four innings and striking out four batters. Travis Skelton stuck out three Lions in three frames of work, too.
FCHS bests Plattsmouth
The Pioneers scored two fifth-inning runs Thursday, too, taking a lead against Class B Plattsmouth and eventually winning at home, 5-4.
FCHS' Presley Olberding tied the matchup at 4-all by sacrifice before Max Halford, a substitute runner, scored the go-ahead tally.
Altogether, Bierman led the Pioneers at the plate with two hits, including a double. Genoways and Koterba had one apiece, too, while Chase Premer and Christensen had RBIs to go with Olberding's.
Bierman also claimed the win on the mound, striking out three batters across 3 1/3 innings in relief. Levi Lasher started, striking out three Devils in 3 2/3 innings, too.
FCHS BASEBALL LINE SCORES
Saturday
No. 1 Malcolm 17, No. 10 Fort Calhoun 1, 6 inn.
MHS (6-1) 2 0 2 0 3 10 — 17 10 2
FCHS (3-1) 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 2 7
Friday
No. 10 Fort Calhoun 13, Louisville 5
FCHS (3-0) 0 0 4 4 3 0 2 — 13 12 3
LHS (0-5) 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 5 6 3
Thursday
No. 10 Fort Calhoun 5, Plattsmouth 4
PHS (2-1) 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 — 4 4 0
FCHS (2-0) 0 2 1 0 2 0 X — 5 4 1
