WISNER – Good pitching and spotless defense helped Wakefield to a 3-1 win over Pender in the opening round of the Class C, Area 2 American Legion Seniors tournament Friday at Wisner City Park.
Julio Sanchez pitched six solid innings before Caden Korth came on to get the save, and Wakefield got some great help from its defense, which turned three double plays in the win to improve to 17-17 on the season.
After giving up a one-out walk to start the game, Sanchez got Pender to hit into its first double play. They turned inning-ending double plays in the fifth and seventh innings and allowed just one run in the sixth inning, Pender’s only real offensive threat of the game. Sanchez worked out of the jam, leaving two Pender runners in scoring position.
Wakefield got on the board in the second when Jose Sanchez was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a passed ball and came home on his brother’s line drive to center field. They scored again in the fourth when Noah Lamprecht brought home Micah Sprouls with a groundout, then put one more across in the fifth with Ben Klein scored on a throwing error.
Klein had two of Wakefield’s five hits in the game. Sanchez allowed six hits and struck out three before Korth came on to finish the game.
In other Area 2 action, Tekamah-Herman beat Stanton 14-3 and Wisner-Pilger-Beemer-Dodge-Howells shut out Madison 10-0. Top-seeded West Point had a first-round bye and will face Tekamah-Herman at 5 p.m. in one of two winner’s bracket matchups Saturday. Wakefield will play host WPBDH in a 7:30 p.m. winner’s bracket game. Stanton has a bye in the losers’ bracket, while Pender faces Madison at 2 p.m.
