The Zig Drywall Post 348 Senior Legion baseball team went 1-1 Monday and Tuesday in its final two regular season games of the season.
During a 7-2 home loss Tuesday to the Kelly Ryan Pride of Omaha Roncalli, the Pioneers still accomplished what they set out to do. Coach Brandon Wynn got a rotation's worth of pitchers into the game with just three off days left before today's 8 p.m. start to the Class B Area 3 Tournament at Vets Field in Blair.
“You can't go into districts playing nine guys,” he said. “You need a lot of pitching.”
The Fort Calhoun hurlers had varying levels of success against the Pride, but they all worked up a sweat in preparation for their first-round tilt against the host Post 154 Bears.
“That was the biggest part, getting pitchers some work and hopefully a little confidence,” Wynn said.
Roncalli never trailed on the road, scoring two runs during the first inning, two more in the fourth and three during the fifth frame. Wynn's squad, however, pulled even with the Pride during a two-run bottom of the third.
First, Sam Halford singled, setting up the eventual two-out rally. Ty Hallberg reached base, too, before Tristan Fuhrman hit into a Roncalli throwing error, which allowed Halford to score.
Sam Genoways then hit an RBI single down the third-base line to even the score, 2-2.
The Pride outscored the Pioneers 5-0 from there, but they didn't change what Wynn believes can lead to Fort Calhoun success during the Area 3 Tournament.
“Good defense,” Wynn said. “We have to play good defense.”
He feels avoiding miscues could turn a close loss into a win for the Pioneers.
“In games where we've had errors, those are the ones we've lost, generally,” Wynn explained. “Our hitting has been spotty all year, but we've kind of dealt with it as long as our pitchers are throwing well and our defense is working. We've been able to pull through in some games.”
Post 348 claims 8th win
Before closing the home schedule against the Pride, the Fort Calhoun Seniors earned their second win against Tekamah in less than a week Monday, 11-7. It was their eighth win of the season, overall.
After each team scored during the first inning, Post 348 notched the go-ahead run during the top of the second. Carter Christensen plated Avery Quinlan for a 2-1 advantage and the Pioneers led from there.
Though coach Wynn's team held the lead throughout, it was tested. Out front 8-1 on the road, the home team battled back within 8-4 with a three-run bottom of the fifth inning.
After the score held through the sixth frame, the Pioneers pushed their lead to seven runs during the final inning. Harrison Schmitt hit an RBI single before Hallberg pushed across two more runs for an 11-4 advantage.
Tekamah threatened again during the bottom half of the seventh frame, but Fort Calhoun held it well-shy of the comeback victory.
