Legion Juniors Hold Off Gering

Sidney's American Legion Post 17 Junior baseball team hosted B&C Steel Gering's junior team Wednesday afternoon at Legion Field, and held off a late Gering rally to win 7-to-5.

Sidney jumped on Gering early, after starting pitcher Micah Schneider kept the vistors off the board in the top of the first. An infield single and a triple by Nolan Hofrock plated the first Sidney run, and a sacrifice fly by Dietrich Lecher gave Sidney a 2-to-0 advantage after one inning.

Schneider then retired the side in order in the top of the second inning, and the Sidney offense started again with a Ben Hashman double and then a balk to get a runner on third for Sidney. Sawyer Dickman hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive home the runner, giving Sidney its third run of the game after two innings. Gering finally broke through in the top of the third inning, when with the bases loaded and two outs, an error on a ground ball attempt scored two runs and was followed by a single to score another run. With the score tied in the bottom of the third, Sidney was able to load the bases and a Sawyer Dickman single drove two runs home, giving Sidney a 5-to-3 lead going into the fourth inning.

Schneider hit his pitch limit in the top of the fourth inning, and Ben Hashman took the mound with a runner on second and one out. He was able to get a fly out and a strike out to send Sidney to the bottom of the fourth inning.

After two walks putting runners at second and third, Ethan Reichman drove in two more Sidney runs with a single to put the score at 7-to-3.

Neither team was able to score until Gering was able to mount a ralley in the bottom of the seventh. Two base hits gave the vistors runners on first and third with no outs. A run scored on a fielder's choice, then another run scored on a single and suddnely the Sidney lead was cut to 7-to-5. But Hashman bore down and was able to retire the final two batters, and the game ended in a 7-to-5 Sidney victory. Micah Schneider started and pitched 3.1 innings, giving up three runs on four hits while striking out four and walking four. Ben Hashman pitched 3.2 innings and gave up one run on five hits while striking out two and walking none. Ethan Reichman and Sawyer Dickman both had two RBI's while Micah Schneider and Ben Hashman both collected two hits in the victory.

The Juniors were scheduled for a double header against Scottsbluff on Thursday, while the Seniors travel to the Chadron Wood Bat Tournament this weekend.