A big third inning by First Central Bank was too much to overcome for the Alliance Spartans on Tuesday. McCook tallied 7 runs in the top of the third and downed the Peltz Co 8 to 5, ending the Alliance season. The contest was played in Gering and was the Spartans’ fourth matchup at the state Class B tourney. With the loss, the White club ends their year with an impressive record of 29-5-1. Alliance had a 2 run lead heading to the third but FCB put 7 on the board and advanced to the final day on Wednesday. The Peltz Co collected 6 hits on the evening with Carver Nemnich, Tony Escamilla, and Braeden Clarke getting 2 each. Escamilla started for the Spartans and went 5 frames. Also tossing for Alliance were Kegan Rodriguez and Nemnich. The Spartans finish the state tournament in fourth place overall going 2 and 2 with victories over Gering and West Point.
McCook hit first and was turned away. In the bottom of the first, the Spartans tallied 2 runs to take an early advantage . Rodriguez walked and scored on a triple by Nemnich. Alliance’s second score came after a wild pitch. No runs were scored in the second inning and after 2 innings of action , the Peltz Co was up 2 to 0.
Momentum then went FCB in the third as McCook plated 7 tallies. With 2 outs, First Central Bank used a couple of walks, a double, and a 2 run single to take the lead. The big hit of the contest then came later in the frame with the bases full. A double plus an error by Alliance put the score at 7 to 2. The Peltz Co had a chance in the home half with 3 runners reaching on walks but couldn’t capitalize. Heading to the fourth, the White squad trailed by 5.
Escamilla had a scoreless frame on the mound for Alliance in the top of inning 4 while the Spartans pushed one across in the bottom of the inning. The Peltz Co scored one thanks to an RBI hit by Nemnich. Both teams would score in the fifth. Two singles and a walk helped FCB increase their margin to 8 to 3. Knocks in the home half by Escamilla and Clarke cut the Spartan deficit to 8 to 4. No scores were tallied in the sixth and the contest moved to its final frame with Alliance still down by 4.
Inning 7 had the Spartans get a shutout frame from Rodriguez and Nemnich while making things interesting in the home half. A hit by Escamilla began a rally and an RBI hit by Clarke made it an 8 to 5 contest. Alliance would put runners on the paths later in the inning but were denied any more scores . Final McCook 8 Alliance 5
FCB 0 0 7 0 1 0 0 8
Peltz Co. 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 5
Six hits for the Spartans two each Escamilla, Nemnich and Clarke.
McCook moves on to a game with West Point on Wednesday with the winner meeting Elkhorn for the championship.