HASTINGS, Neb. — Hastings Five Points Bank had its chances Wednesday night but couldn’t cash them.
The Chiefs stranded 12 runners in a 3-2 loss to Arkansas champion Bryant at Duncan Field. Hastings (32-14) falls into a losers bracket game at 1 p.m. Thursday.
“It’s a tough loss,” Hastings coach Kevin Asher said. “But it’s a tournament and not just one game so we’re super excited about tomorrow.”
Hastings stranded five in the first two innings as it had Bryant starter Slade Renfrow on the ropes. But he struck out the final two batters both innings to escape the jams.
The Chiefs grabbed the lead with a pair of runs in the fourth. Jake Shaw brought one home on a safety squeeze and another scored on a bases-loaded walk to UNO recruit Mike Boeve.
The Black Sox, the three-time defending Arkansas champions, responded in the fifth. With the bases loaded and two out, Jake Wright belted a three-run triple deep into the left-center field alley.
“I was looking for something to hit far,” he said. “Nobody is going to hit one out of here so I just wanted to hit it hard.”
Hastings had two runners on base in the sixth but an outstanding defensive play by first baseman Peyton Dillon ended the inning. He ranged far behind the bag to make a lunging grab of a popup.
The Chiefs had two more runners in the seventh but reliever Coby Greiner struck out Gabe Conant to end the game.
Wright said his team enjoyed playing in front of the large, partisan crowd.
“It lights us up,” he said. “I think we really like playing in front of big crowds like that.”
Hastings starter Tyson Gatto went five innings and gave up five hits to take the loss.
“You’ve got to have timely hitting in the postseason,” Asher said. “They got the big hit tonight and we didn’t.”
Hastings (32-14).............000 200 0—2 3 2
Bryant (27-9).................000 030 x—3 5 1
W: Bates. L: Gatto. S: Greiner. 3B: B, Wright.
American Legion Mid-South Regional
At Hastings (Duncan Field)
Results Wednesday
Fremont First State Bank 8, Sedalia, Missouri 2
Bryant, Arkansas 3, Hastings Five Points Bank 2
Coweta, Oklahoma 2, Texarkana Bulldogs 0
Festus, Missouri 5, Emporia, Kansas 3
Thursday
10 a.m.: Texarkana Bulldogs vs. Sedalia, Missouri
1 p.m.: Emporia, Kansas vs. Hastings Five Points Bank
4: Fremont First State Bank vs. Coweta, Oklahoma
7: Festus, Missouri vs. Bryant, Arkansas
Nebraska state baseball championship front pages since 2004
Check out the front page of The World-Herald's prep baseball state championship coverage since 2004.
2017
Class A: Omaha Creighton Prep 12, Omaha Westside 5
Class B: Omaha Skutt 6, Norris 3 (12 inn.)
2016
Class A: Omaha Creighton Prep 13, Millard West 8
Class B: Elkhorn 4, Omaha Skutt 3
2015
Class A: Omaha Westside 1, Millard South 0
Class B: Lincoln Pius X 6, Norris 3
2014
Class A: Omaha Westside 7, Omaha Creighton Prep 3
Class B: Lincoln Pius X 7, Omaha Skutt 5
2013
Class A: Omaha Westside 8, Millard South 0
Class B: Norris 3, Lincoln Pius X 2
2012
Class A: Omaha Creighton Prep 14, Lincoln Northeast 6 / Prep 12, Northeast 2
Class B: Lincoln Pius X 2, Norris 1
2011
Class B: Gretna 2, Elkhorn 0
2011
Class A: Papillion-La Vista South 3, Millard West 0
2010
Class B: Omaha Gross 3, Omaha Skutt 1 / Gross 6, Skutt 0
2010
Class A: Papillion-La Vista South 3, Omaha Creighton Prep 1
2009
Class A: Omaha Westside 6, Omaha Creighton Prep 5
Class B: Omaha Gross 4, Lincoln Pius X 2
2008
Class A: Millard West 10, Grand Island 3 / GI 7, MW 6
Class B: Omaha Skutt 3, Elkhorn 0 / Elkhorn 15, Skutt 2
2007
Class A: Elkhorn 2, Millard West 1
2006
Class A: Omaha Westside 8, Millard North 0
2005
Class A: Millard North 10, Omaha Westside 6
2004
Class A: Omaha Creighton Prep 11, Millard North 9
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