First round games for the Class B state legion baseball tournament began on Saturday for the Alliance Senior Spartans with a contest versus Holdrege. A combination of a big first inning and the pitching of Espen Lanik were the keys in a Spartan 4 to 1 win. With the victory, the Peltz Co goes to 27 and 12 for the season. Alliance scored 3 times in the opening frame to take the lead for good. The Spartans got a complete game win from Lanik who went all 7 innings and recorded 5 strikeouts. The game was played in Minden. Alliance finished the battle with 7 hits with Lanik and Jaxon Poss leading the offense with 2 knocks apiece.
Alliance went to the dish first and had success. The Peltz Co got a walk from Kegan Rodriguez and a single by Kobe Strom to start a rally. Tony Escamilla followed with an RBI hit as the Spartans went up 1 to 0. The Senior’s second tally came from a sacrifice fly by Jaxson Esparza. Escamilla would also score on the play. In the home half, Lanik was sharp and allowed zero runs. Inning two was a scoreless frame for both clubs with Lanik getting a k. After 2 innings of action, the Peltz Co had a 3 to 0 advantage.
Frame #3 saw strong pitching for both squads as no tallies were recorded. A single by Poss in the top of the fourth gave Alliance a chance but he was stranded on the sacks. Inspire Rehabilitation closed their deficit in the bottom of the fourth. Holdrege used to a pair of singles to make the game a 3 to 1 affair. An Alliance double play though ended the frame with the Spartans still ahead by 2.
Lanik would help his cause in the fifth with a knock but the Spartans couldn’t cash it in. Holdrege had zero in the scoring column as Lanik had another strikeout in the home half. In the sixth, the game remained 3 to 1 with no tallies recorded. Alliance pushed one across in their last at bat. The Peltz Co got hits by Poss and Braeden Clarke to start the scoring. A run scoring hit by Lanik ensued that made the score 4 to 1.
Holdrege went down quickly in their final attempt and Alliance took the 3 run victory.
Alliance 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 4
Holdrege 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
Seven hits for the Peltz Co. two each Lanik and Poss, one each Strom, Clarke, Escamilla.
Alliance next be in action on Sunday with a contest against Wayne.