The Arlington High School baseball team suffered a home setback Monday against the 2-8 Raymond Central Mustangs.
The opposition drew 11 walks and was hit by six pitches, using the free bases to score a 9-4 victory at the Washington County Fairgrounds. The loss dropped the Eagles to 5-6 overall.
AHS coach Justin Meyer used three pitchers against the Mustangs, but all three surrendered earned runs during the seven-inning game. Raymond Central scored four times during the top of the first inning and four more runs in the fourth after the Eagles pulled within 4-2 with two of their own during the third frame.
Luke Sharp and Tim Halley produced Arlington RBIs, and had two hits apiece, but it wasn't enough. Burke Quinn, freshman Peyton Marfisi, Henry Lancaster and Halley scored the Eagles' runs in defeat.
Coach Meyer's team next competes 4:30 p.m. today as it hosts third-seeded Douglas County West to start Nebraska Capitol Conference Tournament play.
Bears split EMC tourney games
The 10th-seeded Blair High School baseball team split a pair of Eastern Midlands Conference (EMC) games Monday and Tuesday, starting play with an upset of Elkhorn.
The Bears beat the sixth-seeded Antlers 3-1 on the road Monday with senior Lucas Matejka on the mound. The Peru State recruit threw all seven innings, striking out seven batters and allowing just three hits. He logged 77 pitches, including 51 strikes.
Offensively, BHS' Nathan Murray, Thomas Chikos and Matejka plated runs against Elkhorn, too. Coach John Roan's Bears had five hits with Brevin Leggott, Murray, Colton Nixon, Matejka and Carter Saylor producing one apiece. Nixon, notably, tripled, while both Murray and Nelson Kosch stole bases.
The next night at second-seeded Norris — the third-ranked team in Class B, according to the Omaha World-Herald — Blair fell short, 6-2. Coach Roan's squad earned a 2-0 lead during the top of the first inning, but went scoreless from there.
Leggott led off the opening frame with a single before Kosch drew a one-out walk. From there, Andrew Smutny hit an RBI single through the left side of the infield.
Nixon was hit by a pitch next, loading the bases for Matejka, who plated the Bears' second run by sacrifice.
Pitcher Hans Sorensen held the BHS lead through 3.5 innings before the Titans took it for good with a three-run bottom of the fourth. The Bears were scheduled to play an EMC consolation game Thursday, but next compete 1 p.m. Saturday at Hastings on Duncan Field.
Fort Calhoun wins in West Point
The Class C No. 3 Fort Calhoun baseball team responded to a pair of losses last week with an 8-2 road win.
The Pioneers improved to 9-3 overall Monday, knocking off GACC-WPB in West Point. Kenny Wellwood pitched a complete game, striking out five batters, while also producing three RBIs at the plate.
FCHS' Charlie Boumstein finished the road win with two RBIs, too, while Eli Tinkham doubled and had an RBI of his own. Seniors Eric Koterba and Chase Premer were patient at the plate, too, drawing two walks apiece.
Coach Roy Prauner's Pioneers next play 10 a.m. Saturday during the second round of the Nebraska Capitol Conference Tournament. The top-seeded Pioneers will host either Louisville or Raymond Central as well as the noon third-place game and the 2 p.m. title matchup.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL LINE SCORES
Tuesday
No. 3 Norris 6, Blair 2
BHS (4-11) 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 2 4 1
NHS (13-2) 0 0 1 3 1 1 X — 6 9 0
Monday
Raymond Central 9, Arlington 4
RC (2-8) 4 0 0 4 0 0 1 — 9 6 6
AHS (5-6) 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 — 4 7 3
Blair 3, Elkhorn 1
BHS (4-10) 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 — 3 5 0
EHS (7-10) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 3 2
Fort Calhoun 8, GACC-WPB 2
FCHS (9-3) 0 1 0 1 5 1 0 — 8 3 3
GACC (4-7) 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 — 2 2 2
