The Wayne/Wakefield baseball team opened the season with a triangular at Bennington, coming home with a win and a loss in Saturday’s season opener.
Wayne/Wakefield jumped out to a quick lead against the host Badgers, but couldn’t keep pace as the hosts came away with a 7-2 win.
Wayne/Wakefield loaded the bases to start the game and Zane Jackson’s infield single brought home Brennen O’Reilly with the first run of the game. Julio Sanchez hit into a double play, scoring Tyler Lutt to make it a 2-0 game in the top of the first inning.
Bennington got a run back in the third on an error, then broke the game open with six runs in the third inning. Wayne/Wakefield only had two baserunners after that as the Badgers went on to the win.
Jackson and Sanchez had hits for the Blue Devils in the losing effort. Adam Bentjen was tabbed with the loss on the mound.
In the second game of the day, Wayne/Wakefield used a three-run third inning to help them to their first win of the season, outlasting Mount Michael 4-2.
The locals got a run in the second inning on a Mount Michael error, allowing K Anderson to score to give Wayne/Wakefield a 1-0 advantage.
Mount Michael scored two runs on three hits in the top of the third, but Wayne/Wakefield answered with three in the bottom of the inning, thanks to a bases-clearing double by Payten Gamble, scoring Lutt, O’Reilly and Tyler Gilliland.
Wayne managed just two hits in the win, with Gamble and Jackson getting hits. Lutt went six innings to get the win, striking out six and scattering seven hits. Gamble was credited with the save.
Wayne plays at Arlington on Monday at 4:30 p.m. and Fort Calhoun on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Their home opener is this Thursday at 4:30 p.m. against Thurston-Cuming County at Hank Overin Field.
