Fort Calhoun senior Kenny Wellwood hammered a chest-high Douglas County West pitch into deep right field Monday, delivering the Class C No. 3 Pioneers baseball team a walk-off home victory.
Coach Roy Prauner's ballclub came back from a run down to beat the Falcons, 4-3.
“I was just looking for something in my wheelhouse and it was there,” Wellwood said.
It was the first DC West offering he saw during the bottom of the seventh inning.
“So, yeah, first pitch,” the senior said. “That's all it took.”
FCHS led 2-1 after Chase Premer's single during the third frame scored both courtesy runner Levi Lasher and a sliding Sam Genoways. It fell behind, though, when the Falcons scored two of their own runs during the fifth frame.
After back-to-back scoreless bottom halves, the Pioneers went into the seventh inning with a one-run deficit and their Nos. 8 and 9 hitters up first.
“They were the real clutch hitters in that inning,” Wellwood said.
Outfielder Eli Tinkham beat the ball to first base with an infield single first before Presley Olberding drew a walk, setting up the top of Calhoun's batting order.
“When Tink got on, we knew we had something cooking,” Wellwood said.
Leadoff man Eric Koterba was next, bunting both runners over into scoring position for the game's hero.
“That was textbook, perfect,” Wellwood said of Koterba's contribution. “We practice that day-in and day-out.”
He sent the next pitch DC West threw into deep right field, winning the game. The third-ranked Pioneers improved to 7-1 overall with the victory.
Wellwood said FCHS is playing confidently eight games into the spring season.
“The confidence gives us belief,” he said. “It gives us belief in one-another. That's where it comes from.”
Down 3-2 going into the seventh inning Monday, the Pioneers still knew they had a chance.
“We know the guy next to us is going to get the job done,” Wellwood explained. “He'll do what he needs to do.”
Fort Calhoun's Chase Bierman earned the pitching win, striking out three batters in two innings of relief. Wellwood started, striking out six across five innings before delivering the game-winning hit.
FCHS BASEBALL LINE SCORE
Monday
No. 3 Fort Calhoun 4, Douglas County West 3
DCW (2-5) 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 — 3 8 3
FCHS (7-1) 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 — 4 4 1
