Fremont, Nebraska- For the second straight game, the Fremont Moo overcame a late inning deficit to earn a victory, doing so Tuesday night, 4-3 over the Oahe Zap, at Historic Moller Field.
In a matchup of two teams facing each other for the first time ever, the starting pitchers dominated the first half of the game, limiting the opposition’s offense.
Oahe would get on the board in the top of the third inning. Nine-hole hitter Tyler Traphagen led off with a double and leadoff batter Trevor Seagraves laid down a bunt up the first base line for a hit, to put runners at the corners. Seagraves looked as though Fremont starter Marco Ibarra had him picked him off, but Seagraves stayed alive in a rundown, long enough for Traphagen to score, making it 1-0, the Zap.
Fremont would even the score in the bottom of the third. With one out, leadoff batter Christian Hobbs drew a walk, then advanced to second on Zap starter Graham Young’s wild pitch. Two batters later, Henry Hayman delivered a rbi single, scoring Hobbs, to tie the score at one, after three innings.
The Moo took their first lead in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Hunter Palmer drew a walk, then stole second. Next. pinch-hitter Blake Tablazon walked, and Hobbs followed suit, to load the bases. The Zap went to the bullpen and brought in Jack McDonald, for his first appearance of the season. He walked Josh Blount with the bases loaded to score Palmer and make it 2-1, the Moo, at the end of the seventh.
The Zap responded in the top of the eighth, scoring two unearned runs. Seagraves led off and hit a ground ball to Ben Swails, at shortstop, who misplayed it allowing Oahe’s leadoff batter to reach. Two batters later, Cy Probst singled to put runners at first and second. Seagraves and Probst would both advance on a wild pitch by Moo reliever Kadyn Van Hill. Fremont pulled the infield in to make a play at the plate, if needed. The next batter, Trenton Duchscherer hit a one hopper right at Tyler Hummel, at second. Hummel threw home to try and get Seagraves at the plate, but the throw was low and the run scored, tying the score at two. The next batter, William Hoch hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Probst from third, making it 3-2, the Zap.
Fremont stranded two baserunners in the eighth. Darius Blasingane came on in the top of the ninth, for the Moo, and retired the Zap, in order, setting up the drama in the bottom of the ninth.
Tyler Harrington led off the inning with a single. Next, Tyman Long smacked a double to the warning track near the foul pole, in left, to put runners at second and third with no outs. Head Coach Ben Ascher sent Braden Sweet out to second to pinch-run for the catcher, Long. Ben Swails stepped to the plate, and the freshman at the University of Iowa, from Tiffin, Iowa, made amends for his costly error in the eighth, by hitting a fly ball down the right field line. Zap right fielder Joey Coolbaugh sprinted to the foul line to get to the fly ball, but overran it. The ball dropped in fair territory by a foot. As Harrington scored, Coolbaugh fired the ball to Seagraves who made a good relay throw home, but Sweet slid in just before the tag for the game winning run.
Fremont starter Marco Ibarra, a Carson, California native, from Cal State- Chico, worked six innings, giving up four hits, one run, walked two and struck out two. Kadyn Van Hill, the Omaha freshman at Iowa Western Community College, pitched two innings giving up two hits, two unearned runs, striking out one, with one wild pitch. Darius Blasingane, (1-0) the St. Petersburg, Florida native at Edward Waters University, pitched a clean ninth inning.
Oahe starter Graham Young pitched 5.2 innings, giving up three hits, two runs, walked six, with five strikeouts and one wild pitch. Jack McDonald (0-1), pitched 2.1 innings, yielding three hits, two runs, walked four and struck out two.
Fremont’s Henry Hayman went 2-for-5 with a rbi.
Oahe’s Cy Probst and Preston Lau both went 2-for-4.
More Information: With the win, and Badlands’ loss to Casper, Tuesday night, the Moo and the Big Sticks are tied for first in the Independence League Baseball Association, with identical 10-3 records. The walk-off win for the Moo was their second of the season, both of which occurred at Historic Moller Field. Also, in both walk-off wins, Braden Sweet scored the game-winning run. With his ninth inning leadoff single, Tyler Harrington ran his hit streak to seven games.
Up Next: Fremont (10-3) will host Oahe (1-11), Wednesday night at Historic Moller Field, in game two of the three-game series, and the fifth game of the Moo’s six-game homestand. First pitch will be 7:05pm. Wednesday’s game is “Moo Win, You Win, Wednesday”. Tommy’s Express Car Wash will be giving away “Works Wash” certificates. Also, all fans that redeem their ticket from last Wednesday’s win over Hastings, will receive a free general admission ticket to this Wednesday night’s game, versus the Zap. There will also be many drink specials and $2 hot dogs, available.
