MNB Seniors knock off No. 1 Minden in B-6 extras

Jordan Chauncy and the McCook National Bank Seniors are 2-0 so far in this week's B-6 area tournament. The boys are pursuing a sixth consecutive Class B state tournament. They have beaten No. 4 Gothenburg and No. 1 Minden with No. 2 Broken Bow awaiting for Sunday's 2 p.m. showdown in Minden.

Steve Towery/McCook Gazette

MINDEN, Neb. — An eight-run eighth inning powered the McCook National Bank Seniors to a 14-9 upset of No. 1-seed Minden during the B-6 area tournament winner's bracket game Saturday evening.

The Seniors (11-15 record), seeded fifth, are now 2-0 in this tourney with a showdown set for 2 p.m. on Sunday against fellow unbeaten Broken Bow.

McCook avenged two regular-season defeats and drop Minden (20-8) into an elimination game against Holdrege scheduled for 8 p.m.

MNB's eight-run inning featured leadoff man Tanner Jacobs walking to ignite this explosion from a 6-6 deadlock.

Both Carter Larson and Adam Dugger put down good bunts where they reached safely on Minden miscues. The hosts then unleashed two wild pitches which scored Jacobs, then Larson to make it 8-6.

Dugger motored home on a bad-hop grounder off Alex Anthony's bat.

Winning pitcher Jordan Chauncy actually delivered MNB's hit of this inning as his RBI-single scored Quentin Terry to make it 11-6. Jacob Gomez-Wilson soon singled home two more runs en route to his team-high four RBIs overall.

Jacobs singled home Gomez-Wilson for a 14-6 MNB lead.

Mindanao answered with three runs but Jacobs releived Chauncy and got Minden's final batter on a grounder to third baseman Anthony.

MNB's other huge clutch inning was a five-run fourth after Minden moved in front 2-0.

Dugger's hustling double started this flurry which featured Layne Stevens' two-run hit to tie the contest.

Gomez-Wilson singled home both Bryson Gullion and Coleton Lentz — who had reached with two outs — to give MNB a 4-2 lead.

Leading 5-2, McCook momentum was halted thanks to a 35-minute lightning and rain delay.

The home team then rallied to force an extra inning.

Dugger pitched the first 5 1/3 frames, allowing only one earned run on three hits. He walked four and struck out five.

Chauncy pitched two innings where he struck out four, but Minden scored twice with three hits.

More details will appear in the next Gazette and check for updates on mccookgazette.com.