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Fast start boosts FCB Juniors past Grant
The McCook First Central Bank Juniors Legion baseball team has found the right gear early in recent games, and that has keyed a successful stretch for the McCook 15- and 16-year-old squad.
The FCB Juniors scored six runs in the opening inning and cruised to a 12-4 win in six innings over Grant Sunday afternoon, July 3. The single game was contested at the Jaycees Sports Complex in McCook.
The Juniors scored all the runs they would need in the opening inning, as 11 batters went to the plate for McCook. The big hit came from Jon Spilinek, who knocked in three runs with a base hit. Gavin Harsh, Cameron Burkey, Josh Escher and Brandon Lucas each had hits for the Juniors in the first frame.
The first-inning outburst was pleasing for Juniors head coach Austin Larson, who said his team has seemingly solved an early-season, early-inning scoring drought.
"It's a very good thing to score runs early in the game, and we've struggled with that pretty much the whole season until the past couple weeks," Larson said. "Recently we've jumped out in the first inning and scored quite a few runs. Six runs, we'll take that in the first inning, definitely."
Grant scored single runs in the top of the first and third innings, while McCook missed scoring chances by leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, with another runner stranded in the third after Grant threw out a McCook runner at home plate trying to score on an infield ground out to first.
The visitors cut the lead to 6-4 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning on three hits off McCook starting pitcher Jon Spilinek. The Juniors answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame to go ahead 8-4. Escher, Justin Kefalas and Spilinek had consecutive hits, with Spilinek driving home Escher, and Kefalas later scoring on a wild pitch.
"We struggled a little bit midway through the game," Coach Larson said. "But we played good defense and kept the lead, then we came back in the fifth and scored quite a few runs to end up eight-running them."
Mercy run rule
Spilinek retired Grant in order in the fifth, including consecutive strikeouts, then McCook ended the game by the eight-run mercy run with four runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Juniors loaded the bases with a hit batsman, a Grant error and a walk before the Grant pitcher plunked Escher and Kefalas to force in two runs. Spilinek's out fly ball drove in Lucas Post, then Escher scored on a passed ball for the final run.
"Overall we hit the ball well, and played defense fairly well and came out with a decent win," Coach Larson said.
Escher and Spilinek led the McCook attack with two hits each, and Spilinek drove in five runs. Jon also recorded the pitching win, allowing six Grant hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
Season's home stretch
The teams battled under hot weather conditions last Sunday, with temperatures right around the century mark. But Coach Larson said his team has to get used to those high July temperatures with district tournament action just a few weeks away.
"Districts will be just as hot as this, and that's when it counts, so we need to get used to playing in this heat," he said. "Districts are right around the corner, so it's important to get the feeling for the heat, and be used to it when the important part of the season rolls around."
McCook will host the Class B Area 6 Legion Juniors Tournament July 14-18 at the Jaycees Sports Complex.
The First Central Bank Juniors evened their season record at 13-13 with the win over Grant.
McCook hits the road for a pair of scheduled double-headers next weekend. The Juniors visit Aurora Saturday, July 9 and travel to Lexington Sunday, July 10, for twin-bills set to start at 3 p.m. each day.