The Shelby Osceola Stromsburg Post #91 #296 #132 Senior Legion baseball team split games over the weekend in the Class C Area 5 tournament. Photos provided by Tara Urkoski-
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GENEVA — The Shelby Osceola Stromsburg Post #91 #296 #132 Senior Legion baseball team were batting over .300 as a program heading into the Class C Area 5 tournament last weekend, but hits were hard to come by as the Rebels split games to start the event.
Finally, on Monday, the Rebels (19-7) seemed to find their hitting shoes as Mickey Hoatson went 4-for-5, Korbe Urkoski had a key two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning, and Isaac Whitmore and Brayden Santos combined for a six-inning one-hitter during a 10-1 win over BDS.
Whitmore struggled in his first 15 pitches to find the strike zone and an error helped BDS take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first frame. But after allowing a lead-off single in the second, the righty retired eight of the next 10 hitters while the Rebels began doing damage offensively against BDS starting pitcher Jacob Beavers.
Pierce Branting was hit by a pitch and scored on Colin Wingard’s single and Wingard scored on a bases-loaded walk to Kelby Neujahr as SOS took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second inning. In the fifth, Branting was hit again to open the frame and Urkoski followed with a homer deep to center field to extend the Rebel advantage to 4-1.
After Whitmore walked a hitter to open the bottom of the fifth, Santos relieved him and Branting helped defensively by throwing out a runner at third base following a fly out to squelch the last BDS scoring threat over the final two frames. SOS then iced the game scoring six in the sixth, highlighted by two-run singles by Urkoski and Wingard.
Urkoski drove in four runs with his two hits, Wingard had three RBI and two hits, and Branting and Wyatt Urban had one each while Hoatson had three singles and a double. But all nine starters reached base at least once, with Neujahr, Shayden Lundstrom, Grady Belt, and Logan Lindsley all drawing two walks.
SOS was scheduled to play Wood River Tuesday, with the Rebels needing to beat the Eagles twice that evening to advance to the Class C state Senior Legion tourney in Wisner. On Sunday, the two teams played and Wood River won 8-5 in eight innings as the Rebels had squandered a 4-3 lead in the seventh frame and left 13 runners on base to put themselves in need of a double header sweep Tuesday.
Wood River got RBI hits from Carson Thompson and Eli English to tally four runs in the top of the eighth inning Sunday, and while the Rebels managed one run in the bottom half on a Branting sacrifice fly they couldn’t produce any more, leaving two on as the final out was recorded. Urkoski took the loss in relief after Mickey Hoatson had tossed five solid innings in relief of Branting.
Lundstrom made a diving stab on an English smash up the middle to help Branting escape a first-in ning jam, but Branting allowed a single and a walk in the second to force a quick pitching change. Hoatson was helped by Wingard’s fine throw after a fly out to center field, preventing an Eagle runner to score and ending the top of the second. Hoatson breezed through the third and fourth frames, keeping Wood River scoreless, but SOS left five runners on base in the opening four innings off two Eagle pitchers.
In the top of the fifth, RBI singles by Thompson and English keyed a three-run Wood River uprising, but the Rebels regrouped and scored two of their own in the fifth. Hoatson singled to open the frame and courtesy runner Lindsley came home on Urkoski’s grounder to third base. Lundstrom, who had reached on a dropped third strike, later scored on Belt’s sacrifice fly to narrow the SOS deficit to 3-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, Wingard led off with a triple and pinch hitter Santos walked. Wingard scored when Neujahr’s bunt was bobbled and Santos advanced to third. Hoatson was hit by a pitch to load the bases and after a fielder’s choice and a strikeout, Belt was plucked with a pitch to bring Neujahr home and give the Rebels a 4-3 advantage. But Urban fanned to end the frame and strand three runners and SOS would strand two each in the seventh and eighth after the Eagles tied the game at 4-all in the top of the seventh on a Thompson RBI single. Thompson was 3-for-4 to lead the Eagle offense.
On Saturday, the Rebels managed just four hits, but Lundstrom, Wingard and Hoatson combined for a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts as SOS edged Utica Beaver Crossing 3-1. In the bottom of the first inning, Lundstrom helped his cause with a double to right field and Lindsley (running for Lundstrom) stole third base and came home on a throwing error to put the Rebels ahead 1-0.
Lundstrom allowed a solo homer to J.D. Hartshorne in the top of the third inning as the Beavers tied the contest, but in the bottom half, Neujahr produced a one-out single and went to second when Hoatson’s grounder was booted by UBC. With runners on second and third, Lundstrom’s bouncer up the middle plated Neujahr and an error on the throw from shortstop allowed Hoatson to score, giving SOS its final runs.
After walking Ryan Payne with two outs in the fourth, Lundstrom was replaced by Wingard on the mound after tossing 3 2/3 innings and fanning four. Wingard got a strikeout to end the fourth, struck out two of the three hitters in the fifth and only allowed one base runner the rest of the way, finishing with seven strikeouts. He also singled in the sixth inning.
Hoping to have Wingard available later in the tourney, the righty was removed at 45 pitches with two outs in the seventh and a 2-and-2 count on Cooper Girmins. Hoatson threw a well-placed curveball to fan Girmins and end the game as the Rebels upped their win streak to five. UBC would be eliminated with an 8-7 loss to Wood River, setting up championship Tuesday between the Eagles and SOS (results after deadline).
