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McCook in Area 6 Legion Seniors baseball finals
GOTHENBURG, Nebraska -- Anyone who has watched the McCook National Bank Seniors Legion baseball squad this season might think the Seniors have switched players since the start of the season.
The McCook squad -- basically the same group that started the season -- has looked like an entirely different team in the Class B Area 6 Tournament, especially on defense.
The MNB Seniors won just eight games through the regular season, but McCook is unbeaten in the Area 6 Tournament after a 6-2 win over Broken Bow Monday night, July 25, in the winner's bracket final.
Monday's win sends McCook to the Area 6 championship finals Wednesday night at Gothenburg.
"We're a totally different team," McCook catcher Justin Terry said after Monday's victory. "We have a great defense and our bats are going."
Broken Bow rematch in finals
McCook will face Broken Bow in a rematch Wednesday in the Area 6 Tournament championship game. Broken Bow rebounded Tuesday, July 26, with a 9-2 win over Gothenburg to eliminate the tournament hosts.
Late offensive output
McCook was down to its final six outs Monday trailing 2-1. But the Seniors bats came alive in the final two innings.
Keith Wallace led off the top of the sixth with a walk, then Cameron Burkey delivered a blast to the left-field fence for a double to plate Wallace and tied the score at 2-2. Burkey advanced to third on the throw home.
With two outs, Cash Bortner blooped a single that hit the grass behind the Broken Bow second baseman to score Burkey and give McCook the lead for good.
Broken Bow got a runner to second base in the bottom of the sixth on a walk and a balk call on McCook pitcher Clint Beguin. A fielder's choice recorded the second out for McCook, with the Broken Bow runner advancing to third.
A Begiun pitch got past Seniors catcher Justin Terry, and the Broken Bow runner broke for home. Beguin hustled to home plate, and Terry hustled to the backstop to retrieve the errant pitch. Terry's throw was on the money, and Beguin applied the tag for the out to end the Broken Bow threat and preserve McCook's 3-2 lead.
Terry hit a one-out single up the middle in the top of the seventh, and Beguin followed with a slow roller in the hole between shortstop and third. Beguin beat the throw to first, putting two runners aboard for the Seniors.
With two outs, Burkey came through again with a shot over the Broken Bow second baseman to drive in two runs.
Josh Escher was hit by a pitch, then Will Burkert drilled a line drive to center field. The ball appeared headed over the fence, but it died at the end and ricocheted off the fence for a double and RBI to give McCook a four-run cushion.
Defensive gem
Broken Bow's leadoff batter in the final at-bat drew a walk, then Burkey fielded a grounder and stepped on second for the first out of the inning, but his throw to first pulled Keith Wallace off the bag.
The next hitter hit a line shot to Bortner at second base. Cash turned the play into money for McCook when he quickly fired to Wallace to double off the Broken Bow runner at first base for the final out.
That started a wild celebration for the Seniors, who are just one win away from a trip to the Class B state tournament at Central City starting next Saturday.
Everyone contributing
McCook head coach Greg Larson agreed that his squad is getting key contributions up and down the roster.
"Cameron (Burkey) had two big hits," Larson said. "Will (Burkert), we need Will to go. Will had like five consecutive strikeouts, then he got the big hit. Cash (Bortner) has come up big offensively and defensively, which has been great to have happen."
"Joe Kenny throws a runner out at home. His throw wasn't close to home, but it was close to where the runner was, and Justin (Terry) made a great tag. Those things were big."
Kenny cut down a Broken Bow runner at home with his throw from center field to end the second inning. Terry fielded the ball several steps up the third base line and quickly tagged out the Broken Bow runner trying to score on the play.
Beguin pitched for the third time in the area tournament, and Monday's effort was as impressive as his 2-1 win over Kearney County-Minden in first-round action last Friday. Beguin went the distance Monday, as he did Friday, allowing six Broken Bow hits with five walks and five strikeouts. More important, the McCook defense committed just one error behind Beguin.
McCook pounded nine hits, led by Beguin with three singles, Burkey with a pair of doubles, and two singles by Terry.
Three tourney wins
McCook was the sixth seed in the seven-team Area 6 Tournament field. Now the Seniors have won three straight games, including wins over third-seed Minden (2-1 Friday, July 22) and second seed Holdrege (an 8-7, eight-inning decision Saturday, July 23), plus Monday's win over fourth seed Broken Bow. McCook needs just one win Wednesday to earn the state meet trip.
Coach Larson won't let his team let up, and he knows there is still a lot of work to do Wednesday night.
"I knew we had a good shot against Minden, and Holdrege, they had beat us twice, so I didn't know what would happen there," Larson said. "It's hard to believe we're almost there. But I told the guys (Monday) night, they just had to stay focused and just stay on track. Yeah, we're in the driver's seat, but we've got to finish what we've set out to do."
Top seed Gothenburg lost to Broken Bow, 11-4, in last Saturday's other winner's bracket semifinal. The tournament hosts rebounded with a win Sunday over Minden in elimination bracket action. Gothenburg eliminated Holdrege Monday evening with a 5-2 decision.
McCook will face Broken Bow Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. A McCook win sends the MNB Seniors to state. A McCook loss means the two teams will play again Wednesday night to determine the Area 6 Tournament champion.
"Hopefully we can win one and be done," Larson said.