Back to back 2 run innings powered the Westco Zephrys past the Alliance Seniors 5 to 3 in a contest played in Scottsbluff on Tuesday night. The Zephrys scored twice in both the fourth and fifth innings to post the win. Alliance would out hit the hosts seven to five but it wasn’t enough. Pitching for the Peltz Co Seniors were Espen Lanik who went 4 innings and Cody Gallas who pitched the final 2. Lanik gave up 4 hits while striking out 6 Bluff batters. Gallas allowed just one hit and had 4 strikeouts. On offense, second baseman Jaxon Martinez paced the Spartans with 2 hits. Ending with one hit apiece were: Lanik, Kaden Ferguson, Tony Escamilla, Kobe Strom, and Jackson Smith.
The Peltz Co went 1-2-3 to began the game while the Bluffs used an error by Alliance, a walk, and a single to take a 1 to 0 lead after one inning of action. A one out single by Martinez gave the Spartans hope in the second the Alliance but second baseman was stranded. The Bluffs also failed to score in the second thanks to 2 strikeouts by Lanik. Alliance went again silent in third but 2 more Ks by Lanik kept the score at 1 to 0 after three innings of play.
The Spartans would finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Escamilla lead off with a single and moved into scoring position on a Bluffs pass ball. From there the Spartan shortstop scored on a single by Ferguson. Eventually the Spartans would load the bases but a ground out ended the Alliance rally. In the bottom of the fourth the Zephrys tallied 2 more runs on a single, 2 walks, and an Alliance error.
After 4 complete SB was out in front 3 to 1. No runs were scored by the Spartans in the top of the fifth while Scottsbluff added to their margin with 2 more runs. Heading to the sixth the Peltz Co trailed 5 to 1. Three consecutive Spartan hits by Smith, Martinez, and Strom began an Alliance rally in the top of inning #6. Smith would score on the Strom hit that reduced the Bluff’s lead to 3. A groundout by Galles then plated Martinez as Alliance got to within 2. The inning came to a close with a fly ball to center and Alliance just trailing 5 to 3.
Two strikeouts by Gallas denied the Zephrys any insurance runs and the game went to the seventh and final inning with Alliance only down by 2. Lanik gave the Peltz Co hope in their final at bat with a single but three straight outs by the Bluffs finished the contest.
Final Scottsbluff 5 Alliance 3
ALL 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3
SB 1 0 0 2 2 0 x 5
Pitching for Alliance Lanik and Gallas 7 hits for Alliance Martinez 2 one hit apiece Strom Lanik Smith Escamilla and Ferguson