McCook Seniors fall to Omaha Skutt

BLAIR -- A top four finish at the American Legion State Baseball Tournament is how the McCook National Bank Seniors end their 2003 summer campaign.

MNB dropped a 7-1 decision to Omaha Skutt on Monday night at Veterans Memorial Field in Blair.

Jeff Holthus was the starting hurler for MNB. Holthus threw for three and two-thirds innings before being relieved by Matt Serbousek.

Serbousek finished the game out on the mound for MNB. Holthus and Serbousek combined to give up seven runs on nine Skutt hits.

Skutt took advantage of a close call at first that would have ended its offensive turn, but instead the ruling favored Skutt and kept the inning alive.

Skutt went on to score three runs in the top of the first. MNB's lone run came in the third frame when Spencer Walter hit a single to drive home Quinton Pohl to make the score 3-1.

Skutt put together another three run inning in the top of third. Joe Servais led Skutt off with a triple and then scored on a Holthus passed ball to put them up 4-1.

After two more Skutt players singled MNB coach Tye Hallowell relieved Holthus with Serbousek and put Holthus at catcher.

During the next at bat with runners at first and third, one of Serbousek's offerings got tipped, flew under Holthus' face mask and hit his throat.

The umpire called the play dead as soon as Holthus fell to the ground and did not allow the base runners to advance.

But, after about five minutes the umpires made the ruling to allow the runner on third to score and the runner on first to advance to third.

The runer on third scored after a passed ball to make the game 6-1.

Hallowell noted that as a key moment in the game.

"It was a good game. It was anybody's game in the fourth inning. But the play when Jeff got hurt was a big turning point because of the two bases that were awarded."

Skutt scored the final run of the game in the top of the sixth with a Andrew Wellwood RBI single to lift Skutt over MNB 7-1 and advance to today's game against either Nebraska City or Omaha Roncalli.

Hallowell said that the toughness of his squad made them a joy to work with over the course of the season and helped contribute to their success.

"This team has overcome a lot of adversity that most 17 and 18 year old kids might not be able to. And we find ourselves in the thick of the state tournament again and that says so much about the kids."

After an impressive showing in Blair for the state tournament, the MNB Seniors finish with a 29-26 record and the knowledge that they can compete and beat anyone in the state.

Hallowell wanted to thank everyone that had helped him and his team throughout the year, including "assistant coach Seth Vontz, the Legion Board, bat boy Gavin Harsh, Steve Stein with 93.9 The Prairie, and most of all, the parents and kids."

Skutt 300 301 x -- 7 9 0

McCook 001 000 0 -- 1 6 2

M - Jeff Holthus, Matt Serbousek. S - Bryant McCam. W - McCam. L - Holthus. 1B - Holthus (2), Spencer Walter, Al Shiers, Jared Muehlenkamp, Quinton Pohl, M. TJ Rowel (2), Mike Smith (2), Adam Schenkelberg (2), John Molley (2), S. 3B - Joe Servais, S.