Sidney sweep of Chadron brightens rainy evening

Under threatening clouds, spattered by occasional spits of rain and buffeted a stiff wind blowing over Legion Field's center-field fence, Sidney's junior-senior double header went on without delay Wednesday night.

For Sidney's Legion teams, however, the evening was bright, as they took two from Chadron on home ground.

Keaton Wakefield shined on the mound for the juniors as he picked up the 4-2 complete-game victory.

In the nightcap, the seniors broke open a tie game with a four-run fifth to cap a 7-3 triumph. Colton Onstott came on in relief of Austin Pile to get the win, the Seniors' first on the season.

Though Pile earned a no-decision, he pitched well over the first four innings as he gave up just one run. He was responsible for two more crossing the plate, however, in the fifth inning.

"When I started getting tired I began aiming the ball," said Pile afterwards.

He suddenly found it difficult to hit the strike zone, issuing two free passes before being relieved.

Pile moved to third and Kyle Burton donned the catcher's gear.

If Pile went out tired, Onstott came in rusty. But after walking in the tying run, he proved just as tough on Chadron hitters as Pile through the first four innings.

He fanned five over three innings of work.

"That's my first time out in a while," said Onstott of his 2014 pitching debut. "I was throwing fastballs and curve balls and my arm felt really good. After the first guy I really settled down."

Though Sidney managed only one hit in the home fifth it changed the momentum of the game permanently.

Jason Hagerman drew a leadoff walk. Scott Phillips followed with the hit, a sharp single to left.

Back to the top of the order, Bradey Holtz attempted to advance the runners with a sacrifice. Though the ball was fielded cleanly by Chadron pitcher Colby Ellis, he wheeled towards third attempting to get the lead runner.

Meanwhile, Holtz was quick out of the box and at first before Ellis reconsidered his gamble without a throw.

With the sacks now full, the first run of the inning scored when Lane Harvey's no-out walk forced in Hagerman. After Phillips was erased at home on a force, Pile sent the next run (Holtz) home after his ground ball wasn't handled at short.

A bad throw allowed Harvey to score as well.

Burton drove home the final run of the inning on a short-to-first ground out.

"We're starting to look at this as a team," said Phillips. "I think we're getting to know each other better now and that's helping us work better together."

Before Chadron scored twice in the fifth, Post 17 had held the lead since the beginning.

After Pile retired Chadron quietly in the top of the first, Sidney took the opening lead of the game in bottom of the frame.

Holtz led off with an infield single to the hole in deep short. He then advanced two more bases on wild pitches.

With one out, Onstott hit a deep fly ball into the whipping wind to score Holtz.

In the fourth Sidney scored two more times on Onstott's first hit to counter the tying run Chadron had tallied in the third.

"Hey, I finally got a hit," said a pleased Onstott, who finished last season batting .379.

Harvey led off the fourth by ripping a pitch to deep left for a double. The Sidney shortstop eventually crossed home plate after stealing third and scoring on an error.

Onstott scored the second tally of the inning when Pile doubled to left.

"It was a fast ball pretty much down the middle," said Pile. "I was expecting it after his previous pitch was a curve ball that got away."

The seniors will head to the Gering tournament this weekend. On Friday Post 17 takes on Gordon at 2 p.m.

Two games fill the bill on Saturday with Sidney facing the host team at 9 a.m. and Chadron at 2 p.m.

Sidney's tournament will wrap up on Sunday when they reengage Gordon at 11:30 a.m.

The Gering event involes senior rosters only. The junior squad will be back in action on Tuesday.

Bot the juniors and seniors enter the weekend at 1-1 on the young season.

Linescore

Chadron 001 020 0 - 3

Sidney 100 240 X - 7

WP: Colton Onstott

LP: Colby Ellis

Doubles

Sidney: Austin Pile, Lane Harvey

Chadron: None

RBI

Sidney: Colton Onstott, Austin Pile 2, Lane Harvey, Kyle Burton

Chadron: Colby Ellis