Three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning were just enough Tuesday for the Alliance Senior Spartan team. In a game played in South Dakota, Alliance tallied 3 runs in their last at bat and down the Post 320 Stars 4 to 1. The key hit was by Spartan Creighton Fritzler, whose 2 run single put the Peltz Co ahead for good. Pitching for the Spartans were Kegan Nelson who started and went 3 innings. Relief pitcher Jackson Smith threw the last 4 innings for Alliance. The Spartans ended with 6 hits led by 2 from Espen Lanik.
The first three innings saw both team’s starting pitchers dominate with no runs scored. Nelson began his night on the mound for Alliance by recording a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first. In the third, the Peltz Co got a single by Lanik but he was left stranded.
A single, 2 walks, and a fielder’s choice helped the Stars grab an early one-run lead in the top of the fourth. In the home half of inning #4, a single by Spartan Kaden Ferguson gave Alliance hope, but he too was left on the base path. Heading to the fifth, the Peltz Co trailed 1 to 0. Relief pitcher Smith put down the Stars on three consecutive outs and the contest moved to the bottom of the inning with the Stars still up 1 to 0. Lanik started an Alliance rally with a triple and would later score off a sac fly by EJ Garcia. Tony Escamilla followed with a hit but was stranded and the game went to the sixth tied at 1. An Alliance double play foiled any chances for Post 320 to take the lead and gave the Spartans the momentum heading to their last at bat.
Ferguson was hit by a pitch to begin the Alliance rally. A single by Nason Thompson was next as the Spartan rally continued. Jaxon Poss’s grounder was misplayed by the Stars and gave Alliance the lead at 2 to 1. Fritzler was next and his 2 RBI hit plated 2 more Spartan runs. With one inning to play, the Peltz Co was out in front 4 to 1. The Stars would not score off of Smith in the top of the seventh and Alliance went on to post the 4 to 1 victory.
Post 320 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
ALL 0 0 0 0 1 3 x 4
Six hits for Alliance: Lanik 2, one each Fritzler, Thompson, Ferguson, Escamilla.