McCook FCB Juniors A team hands Cozad 9-7 loss

COZAD -- The McCook First Central Bank Juniors improved to 12-14 with a 9-7 win at Cozad Monday night.

Austin Larson started the game for the Juniors and pitched two innings.

"We started the game by producing two runs in the top of the first inning thanks to a two-run home run by Shane Wallen," said McCook coach Lirin Yost. "Then they came out swinging and the bats and we allowed three runs to allow them to take a 3-2 lead.

"In the top of the second inning we were able to pick another run to even the score at 3-3. In the bottom of the second, we had two errors which allowed them to score three runs and retake the lead 6-3.

"In the top of the third, we once again managed to score another run to trail 6-4, then we decided to bring in Jeff Lorentz to pitch. With kind of a rough outing, the guys kept themselves in the game until the end. Jeff pitched a good 4 2/3 innings for us, even though he ended the game with six hit batters.

"The guys hung in there, and in the top of the seventh inning, we started our rally. We scored two runs with just one out to tie the game up, and then with two outs, we started to rattle them and after Jeff Lorentz hit a double.

"Dillon Goltl stepped up and launched a ball in to the left center gap, and ended up with a stand up triple to give us the 7-6 lead.

"Then after a single by Cody Broomfield and a couple more walks we were up 9-6, going into the bottom of the seventh inning.

"After hitting the first batter up, Jeff got the next batter to ground to second and we got the lead runner out, then they followed that up with a single, then a strikeout, for the second out.

"Then another single brought a run across for them, and after throwing two balls, we chose to bring in Mike Grabowski to hopefully close it out for us, and he wasted no time following up with three good pitches and ending the game for us with a 9-7 win."