The Alliance FNBO Spartans Seniors saw growth as their season record improved to 11-5 after a series of wins over the course of the past week.
The Spartans saw action last Tuesday evening against Chadron at home. They started the game strong, posting three runs in the first two innings, while keeping Chadron at bay. However, at the top of the third, Chadron slipped a runner through the Spartans’ defense, posting one run.
The Spartans responded with a powerful third inning, chalking up eight runs. The remaining innings of the game remained scoreless, and the Spartans claimed an 11-1 victory over Chadron.
On Saturday, the Spartans traveled to Scottsbluff to take part in the WESTCO Zephyrs tourney. At the tournament, the Spartans squared off with the Buckley Bombers. The Spartans flexed their strength posting five runs in the first three innings while preventing Buckley from scoring. Buckley rallied at the top of the fifth, tying up the game by posting five runs. The Spartans responded by scoring one run in the bottom of the fifth and another in the bottom of the sixth. Buckley was unable to post any more runs, and the Spartans claimed a 7-5 victory.
Next, the Spartans were dealt an 8-2 defeat by Thompson valley. In the first inning, both teams kept pace with each other, posting one run each. After remaining scoreless in the following innings, Buckley rallied in the top of the fourth, scoring six runs and taking the lead. The Spartans posted one run in the bottom of the fourth, but were unable to score the rest of the game. Thompson Valley clenched the victory, scoring another run in the top of the seventh.
On Sunday, the Spartans came back from the previous day’s loss to claim a narrow victory over the WESTCO Zephyrs. The Zephyrs posted the first run of the game in the first inning. Both teams remained scoreless in the second. The Spartans came to life in the top of the third, posting four runs. However, Scottsbluff was hot on their trail posting two runs in the bottom of the third.
In the seventh inning, Alliance posted two more runs, but again the Zephyrs were quick to respond, tying up the game by posting three runs. The eighth inning remained scoreless, but at the top of the ninth, the Spartans took the lead, chalking up two more runs. The Spartans allowed the Zephyrs to score only one run in the remainder of the game, clenching the victory over Scottsbluff.
The tournament wrapped up on Sunday with a final game against the Brush Beet Diggers. Brush set the pace for the game by posting two runs in the first inning and an additional four in the third and fourth innings, claiming a 6-0 lead over the Spartans. Alliance scored their only run of the game at the top of the fifth, but Brush responded with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Brush claimed the victory with a final score of 8-1.
With no opportunity for rest, the Spartans traveled to North Platte on Monday. In the bottom of the second inning, North Platte posted the first score of the game, chalking up three runs. They followed that momentum and posted another in the bottom of the fourth. While the Spartans remained scoreless, North Platte chalked up three more runs in the sixth and seventh innings. At the top of the eighth, Alliance scored one run, but were unable to post any more the rest of the game. North Platte claimed the victory with a final score of 7-1.
The Spartans continue their busy schedule with a match against Gering on Tuesday night. The results of the game were not available as of press time. On Wednesday the Spartans face off against Rapid City at home before traveling to Buckley on July 9.