Red Squad Rebounds, Picks Up Win

Lincoln- After surrendering five runs to the White squad in the top of the seventh, the Red squad battled back in the bottom half of the inning Wednesday, picking up the 7-6 win and evening the Red/White Series at one apiece.

 

Junior Zach Kroenke held the White squad to only one run through six innings, but ran into trouble early in the seventh, allowing the first four batters to reach base.  Senior Joe Simokaitis hit a leadoff single to start the inning, and senior Brandon Fusilier reached base when he was hit by Kroenke’s offering.  With two men on, senior Curtis Ledbetter connected on a single to load the bases.  Kroenke was unable to regain control, walking junior Adam Moore and scoring Simokaitis to narrow the margin to 5-2.  

 

Freshman Drew Schwab was called on in relief to face junior Trey Adams with the bases loaded and no outs.  After getting Adams to pop out, Schwab surrendered run-scoring singles to freshmen Jake Mort and Jake Opitz.  Freshman pinch hitter Matt Wagner then popped out to the second baseman for the second out of the inning before freshman Mark Hightower hit a two-RBI single to plate the go ahead run for the White.

 

After senior Jesse Boyer flew out to end the inning, junior Brett Jensen was called on for his second save opportunity in as many days.  The Red squad connected early off Jensen when freshman Casey Klapperich hit a leadoff single.  After striking out junior Joe McMahon, a walk to freshman Nick Sullivan set the plate for freshman Bryce Nimmo, who responded with a run-scoring double to tie the game at 6-6.  With one out, freshman Ryan Wehrle grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Sullivan for the winning run in a play at the plate.

 

Jensen took the loss on the effort, with Schwab picking up the win.  Freshman Ryan Bohanan pitched well for the White squad, giving up only two earned runs on five hits and striking out six batters in six innings pitched.  Kroenke also struck out six for the Red squad while allowing five earned runs on five hits in his six inning effort.

 

Simokaitis finished the day 2 for 3, with a double and two runs scored for the White squad.  Hightower recorded two RBI in his 2 for 3 day.  For the Red squad, junior Alex Gordon plated two runs on two walks, upping his series walks total to four.

 

The two teams return to action tomorrow when freshman Johnny Dorn takes the mound for the Red squad to battle sophomore Jon Klausing.  The seven inning contest is tentatively slated to begin at 2:15 p.m.