Wymore Seniors rally for win

WYMORE - Just about everything was different from the first time the Beatrice Exmark American Legion Seniors and Wymore American Legion Seniors met when the teams staged a rematch Tuesday at Arbor State Park in Wymore.

The second time around, the game was a pitcher's duel, which kept the scoring down.

The final outcome was also different.

Wymore's Seniors defeated Beatrice 4-3 Tuesday.

Earlier in the season, Beatrice held the upper hand in an 11-10 ballgame at Christenson Field in Beatrice.

“This game was low scoring with good pitching,” Wymore coach Brett Roberts said.

Robert said Wymore starter Tim Sisco was “on” Tuesday night, except for two pitches, which Beatrice batters put out of the ball park.

Sisco allowed three runs on six hits. He walked four, hit one batter and struck out five.

“Tim (Sisco) really had it tonight,” Roberts said. “I tried catching him between innings and he about took my hand off three times.”

Roberts said Sisco has been pitching well lately, but added his teammates have let him down several times.

Against Beatrice, Wymore played nearly error-free baseball defensively.

“If we can play defense like that, with our bats and Tim on the mound, I trust our team,” Roberts said.

Roberts, who played baseball at Wymore and then coached the local Juniors team before taking over the Seniors program this summer, said this is the first time he's ever beaten Beatrice.

“This is the first time, as a player or a coach, I've ever beat Beatrice,” Roberts said. “It's also the first time we've beat Beatrice on our field since 1989.”

In order to win Tuesday night's game, Wymore had to come from behind.

Beatrice held a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning when Wymore scored three runs to tie the game.

The game-winning run crossed the plate for Wymore in the bottom of the sixth inning.

“They got up 3-0, but I knew we were still in it,” Roberts said. “With our bats, we're in every game.”

Beatrice coach Paul Valentine said he was “feeling pretty good” when Beatrice took the 3-0 lead.

Defensive errors, however, proved costly for Beatrice down the stretch, Valentine said.

“We had some errors and helped them out,” Valentine said. “We were playing pretty good at first and then had some errors.”

Valentine said Beatrice starter Dane Fossler did a “great job” of pitching.

Fossler took the loss for Beatrice, giving up four runs on five hits. He walked none and struck out three.

Against nearly every batter, Valentine said Fossler was “working ahead” in the count.

“Our defense needed to make some plays and help him out,” Valentine said.

An exhibition of power by two Beatrice batters accounted for the game's first runs in the top of the fourth inning.

After Jay Hartman walked to lead off the inning, Andrew Haake took the ball deep over the center-field fence, giving Beatrice a 2-0 lead.

Caleb Jackson followed Haake's home run with one of his own, taking the ball out over the left-field fence.

Jackson's solo shot put Beatrice up 3-0.

Errors proved costly for Beatrice as Wymore tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.

William Knabe reached on an error to start off the inning for Wymore and scored as Tim Sisco reached on an error.

Cody Wallinger singled to advance Sisco and Caleb Pahl reached on a fielder's choice which didn't result in an out.

Michael Henrichs reached on a fielder's choice, which retired Sisco at home plate, but kept the bases loaded.

An error on a ball hit by Tanner Andrews allowed both Wallinger and Pahl to score and tied the game at 3-all.

In the bottom of the sixth, Wymore completed its comeback, scoring one run and taking the 4-3 lead.

Dexter Spitsnogle singled to lead off the inning and gave way to pinchrunner Ben Mallam.

A one-out single by Sisco advanced Mallam to second.

Wallinger hit into a fielder's choice, which retired Mallam at third and left runners at second and first with two outs.

Pahl reached first on a wild pitch on strike three and Sisco and Wallinger advanced to third and second.

An error on a ball hit by Matt Baehr scored Sisco with the lead run.

Aside from Haake and Jackson's home runs, Beatrice had four singles in the game - two by Fossler and one each by Matthew Lauritsen and Matt Benson.

Wymore finished with five hits.

Sisco led with a double and single, while Wallinger had two singles and Spitsnogle added a single.

Next action for the Beatrice Seniors will be Saturday in the Class B Area 1 tournament at Nebraska City.

Beatrice, the tournament's top seed, received a first-round bye and will take on the winner of the Nebraska City/Falls City game at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Wymore, 16-9, returns to action Friday in the Class C Area 4 tournament at Yutan, facing Bennet at 8 p.m.