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MNB Seniors split with NP
With a pair of dramatic games that went right down to the wire, the McCook National Bank Senior baseball team opened up its regular season with a doubleheader split against North Platte at the Jaycees Sports Complex on Tuesday night.
MNB dropped the first game of the twinbill to North Platte 3-1.
Derick Lorentz went the distance on the mound for MNB. Lorentz gave up three runs off four hits, struck out six in the losing effort.
"Lorentz had a great start for us. He went seven innings, which is what we wanted and needed. The thing that hurt us is that he walked the leadoff
hitter four times," Wacker said of North Platte's Jared Piper, who was the only batter Lorentz walked. "He was a catalyst for them. He stole a lot of bases and put pressure on our defense."
North Platte took a one-run lead in the top of the third when Piper stole home during MNB's catcher-pitcher ball exchange. Piper ended the game with four stolen bases.
MNB tied the game at one in the bottom of the fifth when Ryan Ball drove in Mason Pohl with a pop-up RBI single into centerfield.
A pitching dual ensued until the top of the seventh when North Platte's Brett Mentzer pumped out a two-out triple. After Lorentz gave Piper his fourth free pass of the game, Piper stole second to put runners on the second and third.
With Mentzer and Piper in scoring position, Adam Sterup brought them home with a hard line drive two RBI single to right field to grant North Platte a 3-1 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh and down two runs, MNB couldn't get find contact at the plate and went three-up, three-down.
Wacker gave credit to North Platte's pitcher for causing MNB to leave nine runners stranded compared to North Platte's one.
"Their pitcher did a good job of keeping us off balance," Wacker said. "We had opportunities to score runs on them, but we just couldn't get the key hits when we needed them."
| North Platte | 001 000 2 -- 7 4 2 |
| McCook | 000 010 0 -- 1 4 1 |
M -- Lorentz. NP -- Coleman. W -- Coleman. L -- Lorentz. 1B -- Jones, Ball, Dueland, M. Sterup (2), Coleman, NP. 2B -- Shiers, M. 3B -- Mentzer, NP.
MNB Seniors 8,
North Platte 7
After its loss in the first game, MNB came out of the blocks slowly in the second game of the doubleheader.
North Platte built up a quick and early 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
Derek Enderle extended that margin with a two-run home run in the top of the third to give North Platte a 3-0 lead.
While MNB had no problem with getting its players on the base paths, they couldn't get them across the plate as they left six players on base through the first four innings.
After North Platte posted three more runs in the top of the fifth to hop out to a sizeable 6-0 lead, it seemed as if MNB was doomed by its inability to score.
But in the bottom of the fifth, MNB crossed the plate in droves and climbed back into the game with a little help with North Platte pitcher Nathan
Enderle's loose cannon that gave up nine walks in the final three innings.
Leadoff hitter Ross Jones reached base first with a walk. After a balk from Enderle, Mark Rogers singled and moved Jones to third.
Then, a wild pitch from Enderle while facing Jared Muehlenkamp allowed Jones to score MNB's first run, and then Enderle granted Muehlenkamp a free pass.
With two runners on, Allan Shiers cracked a double that allowed Rogers to score and moved Muehlenkamp to third.
With momentum in its favor, MNB then sent Jason Eder to the plate. Eder ripped Enderle for a two-RBI single that brought home Muehlenkamp and Shiers to bring MNB within two of North Platte, 6-4.
MNB was able to squeeze one more run out of its fifth-inning rally when Enderle walked Jones with the bases loaded to bring home Eder to cut North Platte's lead to one, 6-5.
MNB pitcher Matt Beckenhauer held North Platte scoreless in the sixth.
MNB was again aided by North Platte's Enderle, who walked three straight MNB batters and then allowed the tying run in Jared Muehlenkamp to trot across the plate when he walked Jayce Dueland.
Then Mason Pohl gave MNB its first lead of the night with an RBI single that drove Shiers and put MNB on top 7-6.
However, that lead was short-lived as North Platte tied the game at seven when Adam Sterup scored on a sacrifice fly. A quick-thinking play by
shortstop Ball to cut off the throw to home and gun down a runner at third base saved MNB from further damage.
In the bottom of the seventh with MNB needing one run to win Mark Rogers reached base by was of an error.
Enderle, who remained in the game, walked Muehlenkamp to put runners on first and second.
Already with two doubles, Shiers smacked a game-winner to the left-centerfield fence that scored Rogers and ended the roller coaster with MNB on top 8-7.
"That was a big hit for him," Wacker said of Shiers. "We definitely needed him to step up there. I have confidence in Allan, he's one of our top hitters and he wants to be at the plate when we need the big hit. I look for him to do it all season long."
Wacker was pleased with the way Beckenhauer settled down on the mound in the final innings to get the complete game victory.
"He did a great job of coming back in the sixth and seventh, holding them and giving us the opportunity to win the game," Wacker said of Beckenhauer, who gave up seven hits and struck out six.
MNB will travel to Hastings on Wednesday to play another doubleheader. The first game is slated to start at 5:30 p.m., with the second to follow at 8 p.m.
MNB will return for a home game on Thursday against Overton. That game will begin at 8 p.m. at the Jaycees Sports Complex.
The First Central Bank Juniors will begin their season at home on Thursday against Overton.
That game is planned for 5:30 p.m.
| North Platte | 102 030 1 -- 7 7 2 |
| McCook | 000 052 1 -- 8 8 1 |
M -- Beckenhauer. NP -- Kyle, Mata, Nathan Enderle. W -- Beckenhauer. L -- Enderle. 1B -- Rogers, Eder, Lorentz, Dueland, Pohl, M. Piper (2), Sterup, Pavelka, Collins, Nathan Enderle, NP. 2B -- Shiers (2), Eder, M. HR -- Derek Enderle, NP.