Two Northeast Nebraska Crush youth baseball teams were in action at the end of June and early July.
Crush 11u play tune up ahead of state games
After finishing runner-up in the Stampede Summer Slam in Omaha in early June, the older Northeast Nebraska Crush youth baseball team returned to the diamond.
From the Summer Sports Complex, Crush 11u entertained Norfolk Steel 11u on July 1 for a scheduled nine inning outing. Their last games were on June 8.
The Crush picked up the 13-4 victory to improve to 21-8 on the season.
Becker Ekberg singled four times and scored four times; Wyatt Dunklau recorded a thre-run homerun and two runs scored while Barrett Hanson singled, doubled, drove in two runs and scored twice. Julian Contreras also singled, doubled, drove in two runs and scored; Kirby Gubbels singled, doubled and drove in a run as Kailex Kalin doubled.
Kash Koch singled twice, drove in two runs and scored three times; Kase Brester singled twice, drove in a run and scored as Cruz Andrade and Emmett Johnson both singled.
Nine pitchers were used with Contreras (18 pitches) starting the opening inning striking out and walking one batter each. Gubbels (21) closed out the final inning allowing one hit while striking out two batters and walking one.
Ekberg led the team with three strikeouts.
The Northeast Nebraska Crush 11u youth baseball team will next compete in the Nebraska USSSA AAA State Tournament with games in Omaha and Lincoln July 5 - 7. Crush 11u will open pool play on July 5 against Fort Calhoun Pioneers 11u at 9 a.m. followed by Fremont Nighthawks 11u at 1:30 p.m.
Crush 8u wins twice in Columbus, state tourney begins July 5
Following a week off from competition, the Northeast Nebraska Crush 8u youth baseball team was back on the road for a June 29 doubleheader.
From Columbus, Crush 8u visited Outlaws - Moore for a doubleheader.
Crush 8u won 13-3 in game one before picking up a 17-2 victory in the second game. The Crush are now 20-7 on the season.
During the opening contest, Kaiser Woehler doubled twice, drove in three runs and scored twice; Trexton Ocampo singled, doubled and drove in four runs as Ethen Valenzuela singled twice, drove in a run and scored.
Luke Williamson singled, drove in two runs and scored; Knox Koch singled, drove in a run and scored twice; Kannon Kalin singled and scored twice; Tanner Heithold singled, drove in a run and scored; Titus Hansen singled and scored; Nolan Plager accounted for a RBI and run scored as Jaxon Herbert and Bentlee Nelson both scored.
Hansen (22 pitches) started the opening inning striking out three batters and walking two. Herbert (10) followed the next inning allowing an earned run off two hits while striking out and walking one batter each.
Plager (21) worked an inning allowing one hit while striking out two batters, walking one and hitting one. Koch (28) closed out the final inning allowing two earned runs off three hits while striking out one batter and walking two.
During the second outing, Williamson singled, tripled twice, drove in four runs and scored twice; Valenzuela singled, doubled, drove in two runs and scored twice; Koch singled twice, drove in a run and scored twice as Herbert singled twice, drove in a run and scored.
Kalin singled, drove in two runs and scored twice; Heithold and Plager both singled, drove in a run and scored twice; Hansen singled, drove in two runs and scored; Woehler and Ocampo both singled, drove in a run and scored as Nelson accounted for a RBI and run scored.
Williamson (31 pitches) started the opening inning allowing an earned run while striking out two batters and walking three.
Valenzuela (24) worked an inning allowing one hit while striking out three batters and walking one. Kalin (26) closed out the final inning allowing an earned run off one hit while striking out and walking two batters each.
The Northeast Nebraska Crush 8u youth baseball team will next compete in the USSSA state tournament held in Omaha.
Crush 8u will open pool play on July 5 against York Knights 8u at 11 a.m. followed by Jr Cougars 8u before the single elimination bracket begins on July 6.
