Nebraska City likes where they're at in district tournament this weekend
NEBRASKA CITY - Getting the top seed and a first round bye in the Class B Area 1 Tournament this weekend is as "good as it gets," according to the Nebraska City American Legion Baseball team.
The Post 8 Seniors are playing their best baseball and feel good about where they're at heading into postseason play. They're pleased they'll be able to save their pitching by not having to play on the first day of the tournament on Friday at Clemmy Holmes Field in Nebraska City.
The Post 8 Seniors use a four-man starting rotation with Jordan Williams, Garrett Bassinger, Jacob Shannon and Clay Stovall. If one of the starters begins to labor, they have five pitchers available out of the bullpen. However, Head Coach James Widoe is confident he has up to 15 players who can throw off the mound. He says the depth available this weekend will allow them to approach district games like they have all season.
"If they threw a certain number of pitches, they didn't play the next day. They absolutely hated that. Coming into districts, we have no injuries or arm trouble. We're extremely healthy, which is nice considering where we were at last year in the same spot. We got a healthy pitching staff that is ready to roll."
Nebraska City finished 16-13 last season and went 2-2 in the area tournament.
This year, they'll carry a 22-4 record and a team ERA of 2.98 into the double-elimination district tournament, July 19-23. They earned a first round bye and will play the winner of No. 4 Auburn and No. 5 Plattsmouth on Saturday at 8 p.m.
Auburn and Plattsmouth will be the first game of the tournament at 2 p.m. Friday, followed by No. 3 Beatrice vs. No. 6 Falls City at 5 p.m. and No. 2 Hickman vs. No. 7 Lincoln Christian at 8 p.m.
Widoe says this year's tournament field includes teams that can sneak up and bite you if you're not prepared.
"When we struggle it's because our hitters get really tentative and they try to guess, and they don't react to the approach that we've had. My number one goal going into this year was to have a bonafide approach that we used one through nine with all of our hitters, juniors and seniors, and our kids have really latched onto that."
The Post 8 Seniors average 8.7 runs a game and have a team batting average of .352. They defeated Falls City Monday night, 8-3, in their final regular season home game. They'll wrap up the regular season Tuesday night at Ashland.
Champions from the seven districts across the state will compete in the double-elimination Class B State Tournament in Gering, July 27-31
News Channel Nebraska will have coverage of the Class B Area 1 Tournament beginning Friday on Today's Best Country, B103 and b103.fm.
No. 5 Plattsmouth vs. No. 4 Auburn
When: 2 p.m. Friday
Where: Clemmy Holmes Field
Radio: 103.1 FM, b103.fm
No. 6 Falls City vs. No. 3 Beatrice
When: 5 p.m. Friday
Where: Clemmy Holmes Field
Radio: 103.1 FM, b103.fm
Nebraska City can't catch up to Hickman in season-ending loss
HICKMAN - The Hickman Junior Legion Baseball team scored six runs in the first two innings and ran away with an 8-0 victory, eliminating Nebraska City from the Class B Area 1 Tournament Monday in Hickman.
Colton Wahlstrom sent Hickman in the championship game by earning the complete game win on the mound. He allowed no runs on just two hits and struck out four.
Cael Kreifel and Adam Dia registered the only two hits for the Post 8 Juniors.
Brayson Mueller led Hickman at the dish. He finished 2-3 with an RBI.
Hickman will play Lincoln Hotel Group on Tuesday at 5:30. If they win, they'll advance to the state tournament in McCook this weekend. If they lose, the same two teams will play a winner-take-all game following the first game.
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