With 5 wins in 5 contests, the Alliance Spartan Junior team punched their ticket to the Class B state tournament. Alliance finished the Area 7 bracket undefeated with a 7 to 2 win over McCook on Tuesday. Alliance got a complete game victory from starting pitching Tony Escamilla who limited the hosts to just 3 hits. The Peltz Co used 4 big errors by McCook in gaining the win. On offense, Alliance used 4 hits in scoring their 7 runs.
Two runs in the top of the first by Alliance gave the guests an early lead. The game began with a walk to Spartan Espen Lanik. From there Braeden Clarke would reach on an error by McCook. Both runners then scored on another miscue from FCB on a grounder hit by Kobe Strom. Down 2 to 0, the hosts reduced their deficit in the bottom of the first. McCook used a single, a sac bunt, and a sacrifice fly to slice the Spartan lead to 2 to 1. Innings 2-3-4 were scoreless. Escamilla would record a strikeout in frame 2. An Alliance double play in the bottom of the fourth kept FCB off the board. After 4 innings of action, the Peltz Co lead stood at 2 to 1.
The Spartans increased their margin in the top of inning #5. Clarke began things by reaching the base following an error by McCook. Alliance’s lead grew to 2 after an RBI double by Escamilla. Nason Thompson then singled and got Escamilla into scoring position. From there, Alliance recorded run 4 on an RBI ground out by Strom. FCB answered back with one tally in the bottom of the inning. McCook used 2 singles and a steal of home to make the score 4 to 2. Escamilla had 2 Ks in the inning. Neither team would score in the sixth. Three big insurance runs for Alliance would tally in the top of the seventh and final frame. A single by Clarke was followed by back to back walks by Escamilla and Thompson which loaded the bases. Strom’s grounder was then misplayed by McCook that scored 2 Spartans runs. Thompson then stole home as the Peltz Co lead grew to 5. The inning ended with a single by Creighton Fritzler and Alliance out in front 7 to 2. McCook would go 1-2-3 in the final at bat.
Final Alliance 7 McCook 2
ALL 2 0 0 0 2 0 3 7
MCC 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2
4 hits for Alliance: one each Fritzler, Clarke, Thompson, Escamilla.