Hastings, Nebraska – In Independence League Baseball Association Saturday night, the Hastings Sodbusters swept a doubleheader from the Fremont Moo, 3-1 and 5-1. With the losses, Fremont has lost three straight games, which ties the longest skid of the season for the Moo.
In game one, Hastings got things going in the bottom of the first. Against Fremont starter Zach Vincent, Drew Vega led off with a single and stole second base. Two batters later, Sawyer Duddleston singled to put runners at first and third. Then, Kale Jensen hit an rbi single, scoring Vega, to make it 1-0. Two batters later, Ryan Jarvis singled, driving in Duddleston, to make it a 2-0 Sodbusters lead.
Fremont got on the board in the top of the second. Against Hastings starter Jack Kruger, Isaac Bonner led off the inning with a double. Two batters later, Connor Peterson hit an rbi double, bringing in Bonner, to make the score 2-1.
The Sodbusters pushed across another run in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Jackson Crain doubled. Then, Alexiel Delgado hit an rbi single, scoring Crain, to make the score, 3-1.
Both teams stalled offensively the remainder of the game. In the top of the seventh, Hunter Snyder hit a two-out single for Fremont. However, Jack Kruger struck out Cooper Fuchino looking, to end the game.
Hastings scored three runs off nine hits with one error. Fremont had one run off four hits and no errors.
Hastings starter Jack Kruger (3-0) earned the win. He pitched all seven innings, giving up one run off four hits, struck out six and walked one.
Fremont’s Zach Vincent (1-2) took the loss. He pitched 6.0 innings, giving up three runs off nine hits, struck out three and walked one and hit one batter.
Offensively for Hastings, Kale Jensen was 1-for-3 with an rbi. Ryan Jarvis went 3-for-3 and drove in a run. Alexiel Delgado was 2-for-2 with one run batted in.
For Fremont, Connor Petersen was 1-for-3 with one rbi.
In game two, Hastings got the scoring started in the bottom of the first, again. With one out, Josh Prinner was hit by a pitch from Fremont starter Reece Kortum. After a wild pitch advanced Prinner to second, Sawyer Duddleston singled, driving in Prinner, to make it 1-0.
The Sodbusters put together their biggest inning of the night in the third, sending ten batters to the plate and scoring four runs. Drew Vega led off with a single. Then, Josh Prinner walked, to put runners at first and second. Three batters later, Yamato Sato hit a two-rbi single to right field, scoring Vega and Prinner, to make it 3-0. Ryan Jarvis and Tyler Welsh walked, and that ended the night for Reece Kortum. Ryan Semin came on in relief and gave up an rbi single to Nathan Masar, scoring Sato, to make it 4-0. The next batter, Alexiel Delgado, drew a bases loaded walk, bringing home Jarvis, to make it a 5-0 Hastings lead.
Fremont got on the board in the top of the sixth. Against Hastings reliever Michael Hanna, Trey Brooks drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. Cooper Fuchino singled and after a throw came through the infield to home, Fuchino took off for second, but was thrown out. Meanwhile, Brooks scored on the play, to make it 5-1.
The Moo tried to put something together in the top of the seventh against reliever Markus Miller. Bridger Coleman drew a lead off walk. Dean Reynolds flew out to left and Isaac Bonner reached on a fielder’s choice, while Coleman was forced out at second. Miller struck out Tyrus Petsche to end the game, giving the Sodbusters the doubleheader sweep.
Hastings (10-5) scored five runs off five hits with no errors. Fremont (11-8) scored one run off three hits with no errors.
Sodbusters starter Jude Sundquist (2-1) earned the win. He pitched 5.0 innings, giving up two hits, struck out five and walked three. Michael Hanna pitched 1.0 inning, giving up one run off one hit and walked one. Markus Miller pitched 1.0 inning and walked one.
Fremont starter Reece Kortum (1-2) pitched 2.2 innings, giving up five runs off four hits, struck out two and walked five. Ryan Semin pitched 3.1 innings, giving up one hit, struck out three and walked one.
Offensively for Hastings, Drew Vega was 2-for-4. Sawyer Duddleston was 1-for-3 with an rbi. Yamato Sato was 1-for-3 and drove in two runs. Nathan Masar was 1-for-2 with an rbi, and Alexiel Delgado went 0-2, but drew a bases-loaded walk.
Fremont could only muster three singles off Sodbuster pitching.
With the losses Fremont slipped to third place in the ILB standings, 3.0 games behind the league-leading Casper Spuds, with one week left in the first half schedule.
Both teams will have Sunday off, then will play each other again, Monday night at 6:35 p.m., at Duncan Field.
