WEST POINT – After a number of close calls, the Wayne/Wakefield baseball team finally got its first win of the season Tuesday after splitting a doubleheader with GACC/Scribner-Snyder/West Point-Beemer.
Wayne/Wakefield almost had a sweep, but the West Point-based home team scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to come back and post a 4-3 win.
Both teams scored in the opening inning of the first game, with W/W's run coming on a Zane Jackson groundout, scoring Brennan O'Reilly, who led off the game with a single.
The game stayed tied until the sixth when Wayne/Wakefield broke the tie on a Noah Braun single, scoring Isaac Camarena, who led off the sixth with a walk. Tucker Nichols later scored on an error, giving Wayne/Wakefield a 3-1 advantage.
The home team scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, then tied the game with one out on a passed ball. They won the game on a fielder's choice after loading the bases to claim the one-run win.
Tyler Lutt had two of Wayne/Wakefield's five hits in the game. Adam Bentjen threw six innings, striking out five and allowing six hits. Julio Sanchez was the hard-luck loser in the game.
In the nightcap, Wayne/Wakefield turned the tables on their hosts, scoring three in the top of the seventh to get their first win of the year and come home with a split.
Wayne/Wakefield got two in the first on groundouts by Sanchez and Jackson, scoring O'Reilly and Camarena, respectively. Ficke-Anderson, courtesy running for Lutt, scored on a wild pitch in the second to make it 3-0.
The home team got two in the third and two more in the fifth to lead 4-3, but Wayne/Wakefield responded in their final at bat, tying the game when O'Reilly scored on a passed ball. With two out in the inning, Lutt singled to right, scoring Ficke-Anderson and Jackson with the go-ahead runs, and Camarena set the hosts down in order to seal the deal.
Wayne/Wakefield had just five hits, highlighted by Jackson's double. Lutt had two RBI's and O'Reilly and Edgar Ficke-Anderson each scored two runs. Camarena got the win in relief of Lutt, who struck out six and allowed three hits in four innings. Camarena threw the last three, striking out three and allowing two hits.
Wayne/Wakefield is 1-14 on the season. They play in Pender against Thurston-Cuming County on Thursday at 4:30 p.m., then play Platte Valley at Yutan on Saturday at 1 p.m. before closing out the regular season at home Monday against Arlington at 4:30 p.m.
