Legion Seniors Lose Early Lead, Fall 10-2

Sidney's American Legion Post 27 Senior baseball team hosted the Chadron FNBO Nationals senior team on Thursday, and after taking an early lead, were unable to hold back the Chadron offense that exploded for 10 runs in the final two innings.

In a warm-up game for the Seniors' upcoming District Tournament in Ogallala starting next week, Micah Schneider opened for Sidney on the mound, and after two runners reached base via a single and an error on a hard-hit grounder to third base by Austin Wolfe, Schneider struck out Jordan Bissonette to end the frame.

Landon Riddle and Schneider each singled followed by a walk by Wolfe to load the bases, but Patrick McCartney grounded out to second base to end the inning. Schneider went back to work in the top of the second, and fanned all three batters he faced.

Rhyder Bane was hit by a pitch to reach base in the bottom of the frame, but was unable to score.

Schneider walked the lead off batter Drew Millburn to start the third, then after Millburn advanced to second on a stolen base and then to third on a passed ball, Seth Gaswick grounded to shortstop, and Millburn was thrown out at home trying to score. A fielder's choice to shortstop ended the inning without Chadron scoring.

After Landon Riddle reached base on an an error to start the bottom of the the third inning, Riddle was able to advance to third then score on a sacrifice fly to right field by Micah Schneider.

Sidney started the top of the fourth with a 1-to-0 lead, but an error by shortstop Connor Hurt allowed the leadoff batter to reach base, then a double by Jordan Bissonette put runners on second and third. A walk loaded the bases, then a fielder's choice tied the game at 1-to-1. Schneider then struck out the next two batters, but then walked Quinn Bailey to force home a run. Seth Gaswick then tripled into right field, scoring three runs, and the rout was on.

Another single by Dawson Dunbar scored another run, and at the end of the inning, Sidney was down 6-to-1. Patrick McCartney led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, but the next three batters went down in order to keep the score at 6-to-1.

Chadron strung together three singles and three walks in the top of the fifth inning to plate four more runs, and took a 10-to-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning.

After Landon Riddle reached base on being hit by a pitch, he was able to get to third on a single by Micah Schneider, then scored on a balk by pitcher Seth Gaswick. But that was all the offense the Sidney squad could muster, and they fell by a final score of 10-to-2.

Schneider went 3.2 innings in the start, fanning seven and giving up five runs on three hits in the loss.

Schneider also went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.

Seth Gaswick was the winning pitcher for Chadron, going five innings and giving up two runs on four hits. Sidney starts the District Tournament in Ogallala on July 22.