Fremont, Nebraska – The theme for The Fremont Moo’s final home game of the regular season was “Christmas In July”. For the first eight innings of Wednesday night’s game against The Bison, it looked as though that there would be no presents of joy to go home with Moo fans, as Fremont trailed 5-1 and had committed six errors. However….”Yes, Virginia….there is a Santa Claus”, and the Bovine Nine rallied for five runs in the bottom of the ninth and defeated The Bison, 6-5, in walk-off fashion.
The Bison scored first, taking advantage of a pair of Fremont miscues in the top of the first inning. Leadoff batter Isaiah Brandt singled off Moo starter Landon Mueller, and Dean Reynolds misplayed the ball in right field, allowing Brandt to advance to second base. Two batters later, Mason Daniels hit a fly ball to right, which Reynolds dropped, and Brandt scored to make it a 1-0 Bison lead.
Moo miscues added to more Bison scoring in the top of the third. Brandt led off the inning with a single, then stole second. Two batters later, Mason Daniels singled to put runners at first and third. After Daniels stole second base, Dayton Francis drew a walk, to load the bases. Then, Bryce Gamble hit into what looked like a routine inning-ending ground out double play. However, after the force out at second, Connor Petersen’s relay throw to first sailed, allowing Brandt and Daniels to score, making it 3-0, The Bison.
Fremont scratched the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Parker Mooney led off the inning with a double against Bison starter Manny Duran. Two batters later, Isaac Bonner tripled, scoring Mooney, to make it a 3-1 game.
The Bison responded by getting the run back in the top of the fifth. Aiden Hall led off with a single, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Dayton Francis singled, scoring Hall, to put The Bison ahead 4-1.
More Fremont misplays contributed to a Bison run in the top of the sixth. Facing Fremont relief pitcher Luka Vukcevic, The Bison’s Cullen Kleinsasser reached on an error by Isaac Bonner at third base. Then, an errant pickoff attempt by Vukcevic, moved Kleinsassser to second. Joel Bever laid down a sacrifice bunt, advancing Kleinsasser to third. Then, Isaiah Brandt hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Kleinsasser, to make it 5-1, The Bison.
Fremont looked as though they would have their three game win streak come to a close and hopes of qualifying for the ILB Championship Series seriously in doubt. That’s when the “Comeback Cows” went to work. In the bottom of the ninth, facing Bison reliever Josh Meyers, Trey Brooks led off the inning when he hit a grounder to second, that got under the glove of The Bison’s Joel Bever. Then, Josh Blount drew a walk, to put runners at first and second. Meyers responded by striking out Bridger Coleman, looking, for the first out. Then, the Christmas Spirit filled the hearts of Moo fans. Cooper Fuchino drew a walk, to load the bases. The next batter, Carter Sintek, hit a bouncing ball to Bever at second, which he bobbled, and his throw went array, allowing Sintek to reach, plus Brooks and Blount to score, making it 5-3. The next batter, Parker Mooney, drew a walk to re-load the bases. Then, Miles Meadows hit a single through the left side of the infield, scoring Fuchino and Sintek to tie the game at 5-5. With runners at first and third, Meyers got Isaac Bonner to fly out to right field, for the second out. Then, Connor Petersen worked the count full before hitting Meyers’ 3-2 pitch down the right field line, which landed fair by two feet, allowing Mooney to score as Fremont completed the walk-off win, 6-5.
Fremont (30-18, 17-7) scored six runs off eight hits and committed six errors. The Bison (2-17, 2-17) had five runs off seven hits with two errors.
Moo starter Landon Mueller pitched 4.1 innings, giving up two earned runs off five hits, struck out eight, walked two, had three wild pitches and hit one batter. Luka Vukcevic pitched 1.2 innings, giving up one unearned run off one hit, struck out one and hit three batters. Tyler Dunham (1-0) earned the win. He pitched 2.2 innings, giving up just one hit and struck out one.
Bison starter Manny Duran pitched 7.0 innings, giving up one run off five hits, struck out three, walked four and hit one batter. Josh Meyers (0-1) took the loss. He pitched 1.2 innings, giving up one earned run off three hits, struck out one and walked three.
Offensively for Fremont, Josh Blount was 1-for-3. Bridger Coleman was 1-for-4. Parker Mooney went 2-for-3. Miles Meadows was 1-for-1 with two rbi’s. Isaac Bonner was 1-for-5 and drove in a run. Connor Petersen was 1-for-5 with the walk-off rbi single in the bottom of the ninth.
The Bison season concluded with a 2-17 record.
Fremont will embark on its final road trip of the regular season, beginning Thursday, when the Moo play at the Oahe Zap. First pitch at Hyde Stadium, in Pierre, South Dakota, is 6:05 p.m.
