Gering is hosting this year’s Class B Junior League tournament this year and one of the participants will be the Spartans from Alliance. Using a big first inning, the Peltz Co easily defeated Chadron 15 to 2 to win the district 7 tourney. The contest was played Tuesday in Sidney. With the victory, the White club advances to state with a 27-3-1 record. Alliance jumped out to an 8 run lead in the first frame and cruised to the W. The Spartans finished the tournament winning all 4 matches. In bringing home the title, the Peltz Co bested Imperial, Sidney, and Chadron twice. Alliance was in the driver’s seat as Post 12 had to defeat the Spartans twice in order to move on. Starting pitcher Tony Escamilla went the distance, going all 5 innings while striking out 3. Offensively, the White squad had 11 hits on the night. Collecting 2 knocks apiece were: Braeden Clarke , Jaxson Esparza, and Creighton Fritzler.
Things couldn’t have started any better for the Spartans. Escamilla had a clean first frame on the bump while Alliance tallied 8 runs to take a commanding advantage. An error by Chadron on a hit by Espen Lanik opened the way for a big bottom of the first inning. Fritzler followed with a single and a wild pitch made it 1 to 0. Next was Carver Nemnich who singled for run #2. A walk to Kobe Strom was followed by an RBI hit by Nason Thompson that gave the White team a 3 run lead. Esparza began his big night with a 2 run double and following a hit by Clarke, the Alliance margin grew to 6 to 0. The Peltz Co final 2 first inning tallies came on an RBI walk by Nemnich and a Chadron wild pitch. After one inning of play, the Spartans were up 8 to 0.
Escamilla had a scoreless inning in the second while recording a strikeout. In the home half, Alliance added to their lead with a score. Hits by Escamilla and Esparza made the score 9 to 0. Post 12 responded with a pair of scores in the top of the third, using a double and 2 singles. The momentum though quickly went back to Alliance in the bottom of the third as the Spartans tallied 6 runs to go up 15 to 2. A hit by Lanik began the spree. Another miscue by PVC scored Lanik with run #10. Fritzler was next and his single continued the rally. Alliance then put 2 runners on the bases when Nemnich reached after being hit by a pitch. Both Spartans then scored on a Strom double. Up by 10, the Peltz Co got a sac fly by Escamilla, an RBI groundout by Mikey Johnson, and a run scoring hit by Clarke to extend their lead to 15 to 2.
Both squads went scoreless in the fourth and the contest went to the final frame with the White club leading by 13. Chadron would get a single in their last at bat but a double play turned by the Spartans foiled the comeback. Final Alliance 15 Chadron 2
Post 12 0 0 2 0 0 2
Peltz Co. 8 1 6 0 X 15
Eleven hits for the White team two each Clarke, Esparza and Fritzler, one apiece Lanik, Nemnich, Strom, Thompson, Escamilla.
Along with Alliance, the other teams qualify for state are: Gering the host, Blair, Elkhorn, Hickman, McCook, West Point, and Waterloo.
The Peltz Co will take on Gering on Saturday to start the tournament.