After seeing their season-opening four-game winning streak end in their last outing, the Wayne American Legion Post 43 Seniors got back on the winning track with a 10-1 triumph our in-county rival Wakefield Friday at Hank Overin Field.
The visitors led briefly, scoring their only run in the game in the first when Noah Lamprecht drew a bases-loaded walk to score Ben Klein, who got Wakefield’s only hit off starting pitcher Adam Bentjen.
Wayne scored two in the second to take the lead for good as Tucker Nichols singled home Justin Dean and Jacob Kneifl came home on a Wakefield error.
The Seniors added three more in the third, as Tyler Lutt scored on an error, Ryan Jaixen came home on a Brennan O’Reilly sacrifice fly, and Kneifl stole home to make it a 5-1 game.
Wayne broke the game open in the fourth with five runs. Bentjen cleared the bases with a two-out double to center, and after Kneifl scored on a passed ball O’Reilly followed with an RBI double to left.
Wayne outhit Wakefield 7-1 in the contest, with Bentjen and Lutt each recording two hits. Kneifl scored three times and Lutt, Dean and Jaixen each came home twice, with Beau Bowers also scoring a run.
Bentjen went the distance in the five-inning game, needing just 83 pitches to throw a one-hitter, striking out five and walking three.
Wayne, 5-1, hosts Lincoln Parkview Christian on Saturday at Hank Overin Field.
