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Wedding buddies, college teammates meet again in Area 7 final
McCOOK, Neb. — Late wedding gifts can’t be much better than what the McCook First Central Bank Juniors brought coach James Mockry Monday night.
Eight million dollars for a vacation trip?
Ok, not quite that.
How about driving in eight two-out runs to keep your state tournament hopes alive?
“I’d take that any day of the week,” Mockry declared as eight runs proved to be the difference against Area 7 No. 2-seed Gering B&C Steel.
Justin Chancellor was more than a man of steel with his bases-clearing, three-RBI double — though his slide into third did end some feet short for the third out.
His hit helped finish McCook FCB’s 11-3 victory over Area 7 No. 2-seed Gering which also featured Kaden Riggins, Kohyn Cock and Trevan Rundle all ripping huge two-out, RBI-hits.
Rundle also pitched 4 1/3 innings while limiting the 13-10 Gering team to four hits total.
No. 4-seed McCook FCB advances into today’s championship round vs. the No. 1 Alliance Peltz Co. Spartans where Mocky will get another flashback to his May 30 wedding day with Grace Brown:
Alliance coach Peyton Pinedo, you are cordially invited to NOT be one of Jamie’s best men in tonight’s gathering.
“Yeah, we’re good friends. Peyton was in my wedding,” Mockry revealed. “We became friends playing ball for York College and roommates...
“But we have some surprises ready for them tonight,” he added about the championship showdown.
First pitch is set for 5 p.m. and if McCook FCB triumphs, a second title game will be played about 30 minutes following the first.
The Alliance Spartans have made wedding cake of their first two Area 7 tests. They blanked Gering, 15-0, on Sunday following a 15-5 victory over McCook FCB Saturday evening.
Alliance (34-15) unleashed a sweet mix of perfect bunts and big hits to build an 8-0 lead on Saturday.
Leadoff batter Jackson Shelmadine scored three runs as did No. 9 batter Israel Garcia to show the Spartans’ balance.
Yet McCook FCB closed within 8-4 and was getting closer until a huge pickoff play erased its next potential run off third base.
Spartans catcher Tanner Salcido made the perfect pick throw to third sacker Miguel Galvan.
“Plus we made like eight errors which we haven’t been doing,” Mockry said during this late-season surge where FCB has gone 5-2 in its last seven games.
Even with all those miscues, the Juniors stayed closer than a 20-2 loss at Alliance on May 23.
“We’ve come such a long ways,” Mockry said about his young Post 203 team. “Even their (Alliance’s) coach said that.”
Monday’s win over No. 2 Gering certainly added to this FCB steady improvement.
In their previous two Area 7 wins over No. 5-seed Chadron, it was a wedding-like feast of walks and miscues that fueled McCook mercy-rule victories.
Clean, clutch hits powered the FCB boys vs. a better Gering B&C Steel team.
Leading just 3-2, John Block and Max Van Stelton both hustled to reach on infield singles.
Riggins then lined a sinking shot into left that scored Block from third base.
Cock sent the next hit sharply into center field as Van Stelton scampered home to make it 5-2.
Cock stole second base to two more McCook runners into position for a terrific two-out, two-RBI hit from Rundle.
Block batted again and aded a bases-loaded by pitch to make it an 8-2 FCB advantage.
Gering attempted a couple of comebacks, but one memorable 6-4-3 double play defused any wild wedding-like party dances.
Shortstop Noah Chancellor and second baseman Justin Chancellor teamed on those two outs along with first baseman Bryant Edwards. Van Stelton, Riggins and Cock reached base again ahead of J. Chancellor’s double.