CRAIG/WISNER/SCHUYLER – It was busy last Wednesday for a trio of Wayne youth baseball teams in their respective Tri County League Tournament games.
Championship Wednesday was showcased in the Pony Division for Wayne White while both Wayne Blue and Wayne White competed in each of their own semifinal Broncos outings.
From Craig, #3 Wayne White Ponies (14-3) picked up a 4-2 win over #6 Pender (10-5) to finish third place in the Tri County League Tournament.
Wayne White held a 2-1 lead after the first inning before Pender tied the game at 2-2 in the third. Following back-to-back scoreless innings, the Wayne White Ponies scored twice in the sixth to hold onto the 4-2 victory despite being outhit, 6-4.
William Patefield singled twice and scored twice while Colston Starzl and Easton Endicott both singled and scored.
Camden Hall accounted for a RBI.
Endicott (45 pitches) was credited with the win in three innings of relief striking out five batters and walking one. Hall (66) started the opening four innings allowing two earned runs off six hits while striking out five batters and walking one.
In the finals, #1 Logan View Blue (14-0) took on #2 West Point Aardvarks (13-1).
During the quarterfinal round, #3 Wayne Blue (11-5) ended their season with a 10-9 loss in eight innings against #6 Pender.
From Wisner, semifinal outings took over during the Gold Bronco Division (Upper 14 teams) after back-to-back weather delays.
#2 Wayne Blue (13-0) won 7-1 against #3 Pierce Blue (10-3) to advance to the finals.
Wayne Blue started scoring early with single runs in the first and second innings before posting a four-run third inning to lead 6-0. Following a scoreless fourth, Wayne Blue added a run in the fifth while Pierce Blue scored a run in the top of the sixth. Final favored the Wayne Blue Broncos winning 7-1 as both teams recorded three hits.
Mason Wendte doubled, drove in three runs and scored twice while Kian Pick doubled, drove in a run and scored.
Brayden Stegemann singled and scored; Sy Chase scored twice as Forrest Gearhart scored.
Wendte (87 pitches) picked up the win in five innings allowing two hits while striking out 12 batters and walking four. Blake Heithold (14) worked the final inning allowing an earned run off one hit while walking one batter and hitting one batter.
The other half of the bracket featured #1 Tri County (Emerson) (12-0) and #4 West Point Dodgers (10-2).
The Gold Bronco Division third place and championship games was moved to July 8 in Wisner.
From the Blue Bronco Division (Lower 11 teams), #4 Wayne White (6-7) secured a 15-2 road victory at #1 Schuyler (5-7).
Wayne White began scoring with a run in the first inning and two more runs in the second. The Wayne White Broncos used advantages of 2-1 in the third and 7-1 in the fourth to lead 12-2. Wayne White added three more runs in the fifth to win 15-2 and won the hit department, 13-4.
Drue Jensen singled, doubled, drove in five runs and scored; Merrick Miller singled three times, drove in a run and scored three times; Mason Nelson doubled twice, drove in two runs and scored; Trey Wardlow singled twice and drove in two runs as Caysen Gamble singled twice and scored twice.
Isaiah Zarate singled, drove in a run and scored three times; Max Judd singled, drove in two runs and scored twice as single runs came from Hudson Kramer, Benjamin Patefield and Harley Poland.
Kramer (68 pitches) picked up the win in four innings allowing two earned runs off four hits while striking out seven batters, walking three and hitting one. Gamble (16) worked the final inning walking two batters.
The other half of the semifinal featured #6 Logan View Gold (5-8) vs. #7 Homer (5-8) in Logan View.
Earlier in the Blue Didget Division, #6 Wayne White (5-8) ended their season with an 8-3 loss against #3 Wisner (4-7) last Friday while #2 Wayne Blue (6-7) was eliminated in the semifinal round on Sunday by the score of 12-5 against Wisner.
