Legion Seniors, Kansas squad tie after storm forces cancellation

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette McCook Seniors pitcher Chris Conroy delivers the ball to home plate during Legion baseball action against Goodland, Kansas, Tuesday, June 1, at the Jaycees Sports Complex. The game was declared an 11-11 tie in the sixth inning after rain and lightning moved into the area.

Curse you, Mother Nature.

With the skies lit up by a steady array of lightning and heavy rain showers falling, umpires called the the McCook American Legion Seniors and their Goodland, Kansas, counterparts off the Jaycees Sports Complex baseball diamond Tuesday, June 1.

After Goodland's sixth-inning at-bat was delayed about 15 minutes by the storm, the officials called off the contest, with the persistent lightning not letting up. The umps declared the game to end in an 11-11 tie.

The Legion Seniors are comprised of players ages 17 and 18 years old.

McCook surrendered eight runs in the top of the second inning, as the Kansas squad capitalized on several McCook errors to keep the inning alive.

McCook pitcher Chris Conroy came on in relief of starter Spencer Gillen midway through Goodland's explosive inning. After the shaky inning, Conroy and Matt Thayer combined to limit the visitors to a pair of runs the rest of the way. Goodland pushed across two more runs and had the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning before the lightning storm and the declaration by the head umpire that the game would end after five innings in a tie.

McCook trailed 10-3 before a six-run fourth frame got the locals back in the contest. McCook used hits by Chance Pearson, Thayer and Cody Broomfield plus three Goodland errors to fuel the offensive outburst.

After the visitors scored another run in the top of the fifth to take a 11-9 lead, McCook scored twice in the bottom of the inning. Joe Kenny scored on an error when a Goodland outfield mishandled a fly ball hit by Shane Wallen. Wallen scored on Broomfield's triple.

Weekend road trips

The Seniors will take a few days off from competition for a pair of weekend road trips.

McCook is scheduled to visit Aurora Saturday, June 5, for a pair of games starting at 1 p.m., followed by a trip to North Platte Sunday, June 6, for a double-header starting at 3 p.m.

Next home action for the Seniors is Wednesday, June 9, against Gothenburg.