WAYNE – Tri County League second round tournament games were played at the Summer Sports Complex for the Wayne White and Blue Ponies as well as the Wayne Blue Didgets in the Upper Didget Division.
#3 Wayne Blue began the tournament with an 18-1 victory over #11 Pierce Tuesday evening in the Pony Division while #4 Wayne White suffered a 13-2 loss to #5 West Point Patriots as #2 Wayne Blue won 13-5 over #10 West Point Patriots in the Upper Didget Division.
During the Blue Pony game, Wayne opened the game with a nine-run first inning before adding six runs in the second to lead 15-0. Wayne Blue scored three runs in the third as Pierce tabbed their lone run of the game in the fourth which favored Wayne Blue, 18-1. Wayne Blue improved to 10-3 on the season.
Gavin Anderson doubled, drove in five runs and scored; Mason Heikes singled, doubled, drove in three runs and scored three times while Jace Jorgensen singled, doubled, drove in a run and scored. Will Leseberg singled twice, drove in a run and scored four times; Kaden Keller singled, drove in two runs and scored three times; Alex Frank singled twice and drove in two runs; Keegan Rubendall singled, drove in a run and scored twice; Jamison Meyer singled, drove in a run and scored; Cole Clausen scored twice as Brayden Navarro-Bell added a run.
Gavin Anderson (48 pitches) secured the win in three innings striking out five batters while walking two. Brodrick Tiedtke (25 pitches) worked the final inning allowing one run off one hit while striking out three batters and walking one.
Blue Pony:
1 2 3 4 R H E
0 0 0 1 1 1 2 – Pierce
9 6 3 X 18 12 1 – Wayne Blue
#3 Wayne Blue will next face #2 Oakland-Craig (defeated #7 Howells-Dodge, 13-3) on Thursday, July 8 in Schuyler.
From the White Pony game, Wayne jumped ahead early with single runs in the first and third innings. The West Point Patriots then took over the game with four runs in the fourth, three in the fifth and six more in the sixth to win 13-2. Wayne White ended their season at 8-5.
Alex Rodriguez tripled while Gavin Redden doubled and drove in a run. Calvin Ankeny scored twice.
Ankeny (27 pitches) suffered the loss in an inning allowing four runs (three earned) off two hits while striking out one batter and walking two. Gavin Redden (40 pitches) started the opening three innings striking out eight batters. Rodriguez (68 pitches) worked an inning and a third allowing six runs (five earned) off one hit while striking out four batters and walking seven. Drew Reinhardt (19) closed out the final two-thirds allowing three runs (one earned) off one hit while striking out one batter.
White Pony:
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
0 0 0 4 3 6 13 4 3 – West Point Patriots
1 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 4 – Wayne White
#5 West Point Patriots will await the winner of either #1 Pender or #8 Wakefield as the game was rescheduled to Wednesday, July 7 at 7 p.m. due to Tuesday night rain.
In the Upper Didget Division game, Wayne Blue secured the 13-5 victory to improve to 11-1 and advance to the semifinal round against #3 Pender in Bancroft on Thursday, July 8. Six of the nine Wayne Blue hits went extra bases.
Colston Starzl recorded a homerun, drove in two runs and scored three times; Brayden Wehrer doubled twice, singled, drove in five runs and scored as Easton Endicott singled twice, doubled, drove in a run and scored twice. Carson Heiser doubled, drove in two runs and scored; Tucker Raveling doubled, drove in a run and scored; Easton Gamble accounted for a RBI and run scored; Kyle Brogren scored twice as Max Brink scored.
Starzl started the opening five innings allowing three runs off two hits while walking four batters. Kash Haase worked an inning allowing two runs off one hit while striking out two batters and walking four.
The other Upper Didget Division semifinal will feature #8 Howells-Dodge (defeated #1 Tekamah-Herman, 6-2) vs. the winner of either #4 Tekamah-Herman Gold or #5 West Point Wildcats (game suspended due to rain to July 7).
The Lower Bronco Division (bottom 8 teams) will play their championship game on Wednesday, July 7 featuring #3 Wayne Blue (6-7) vs, #5 Bancroft-Lyons (5-8). First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. from the Summer Sports Complex in Wayne. Wayne Blue opened the tourney with a 14-4 win over #6 Emerson-Hubbard on June 28 and won 11-6 over #2 Logan View Gold on June 30.
