Heading into action on Wednesday at the state class B senior’s tourney, there will be just three teams standing. And one of the squad still alive will be the Alliance Spartans. A three run rally in the bottom of the seventh led the Peltz Co to a come from behind 11 to 10 win over Nemaha on Tuesday. The Seniors got a game winning single by Creighton Fritzler to finish off the rally. Down 10 to 8, Alliance got final at bat knocks from Espen Lanik, Tony Escamilla, and Jaxson Esparza to set the stage for Fritzler’s contest finisher. The game was played in Minden as the Spartans go to 29 and 13 for the season. Alliance enjoy an 8 to 4 margin after five frames but Lincoln responded with 6 scores in the top of the sixth to surge ahead. The Peltz Co ended the battle with 10 hits with Lanik, Kobe Strom, and Esparza leading the offense with 2 knocks each. Four Spartans took the bump. Starter Braeden Clarke went the first two innings and was relieved by Escamilla, Kegan Rodriguez, and Carver Nemnich.
Lincoln Christian was the visitors on the board and quickly gain an early advantage. Nemaha tallied 3 runs on four doubles to go up 3 to 0. Alliance countered with a score in the bottom of the first. Lanik had a single and would score on a fielder’s choice by Nemnich. Inning 2 had both clubs failing to score. After 2 frames of play, the Seniors were down 3 to 1.
With Escamilla on the mound, Nemaha again went down quietly in the top of the third. Meanwhile, Alliance used that momentum to tie the game in the home half with 2 scores. Strom was hit by a pitch to start the scoring and later crossed the plate following a double by Nemnich. An RBI double by Esparza ensued as the Spartans knotted the ball game at 3. A 1-2-3 inning by Escamilla in the top of inning 4 kept the Peltz Co close. In the bottom of the frame, the Seniors grabbed the lead with 3 more tallies. Rodriguez reached on an error by Nemaha to began the rally. Lanik then walk and a run scoring double by Strom gave the Seniors their first lead at 4 to 3. Alliance then loaded the bases after a walk to Cody Galles which brought up Escamilla. The Spartan pitcher’s grounder was misplayed resulting in 2 more Alliance runs. With 4 innings in the scorebook, the Seniors were up 6 to 3.
Frame #5 had the Lincoln squad score once with a single and a double to make it a 6 to 4 contest. In the home half, the Alliance bats continued to be hot. The Peltz Co scored twice to extend their margin to 8 to 4. An RBI single by Rodriguez with the bases full put the Nemaha deficit at 3. Strom ended the inning with a single as the Alliance lead grew to 4.
Alliance’s advantage quickly went away in the top of the sixth. Nemaha scored 6 times to move ahead 10 to 8. Lincoln used a 2 run triple plus two singles, a double, and a wild pitch to take the 2 run lead. The Peltz Co couldn’t answer the inning as Alliance failed to score in the bottom of the sixth. In their last at bat, Nemaha went scoreless thanks to a strong effort on the mound from Nemnich. A miscue on a ball hit by Jaxon Poss started the game winning rally for Alliance in the bottom of the 7th. Lanik was next and his double made it 10 to 9. The battle was then tied at 10 following a single by Escamilla. Nemnich reached on a walk and both runners advanced following a single by Esparza, setting the scene for Fritzler. The Alliance designated hitter would win the battle with a line drive to left field. Final Alliance 11 Lincoln 10
Nemaha 3 0 0 0 1 6 0 10
Peltz Co 1 0 2 3 2 0 3 11
Ten hits for the Spartans two each Lanik, Strom and Esparza one apiece Fritzler, Escamilla, Rodriguez and Nemnich.
Alliance will next be in action on Wednesday with a ball game versus Waverly. The winner will play Wayne for the state championship of the national division