AmFirst reaches championship game with 12-2 win

BROKEN BOW, Neb. -- The sticks were clicking for McCook AmFirst Tuesday night.

Using 14 hits, No. 1 AmFirst defeated No. 4 Cozad 12-2 in Tuesday's semifinal contest of the South Central Nebraska Baseball League Tournament held in Broken Bow.

AmFirst squashed any hopes of an upset early.

Aggressive baserunning and consistent hitting helped AmFirst race out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning. Bryce Shafer's two-run homer highlighted the scoring.

Cozad fought back with two runs in the second to make it 5-2 before Ty Stevens scored on a Colton Stevens double to push AmFirst's lead to 6-2.

In the third inning, Tate Felber hit an RBI single that scored Mason Michaelis to give AmFirst a 7-2 lead. The AmFirst lead was increased to 9-2 after Isaac Hinze scored on a balk and Felber scored on a Tanner Jacobs single.

AmFirst closed the game out with three more runs in the fourth inning. Alec Langan scored on a Luke Maris single, before Maris was brought in by Michaelis. Hinze's RBI single made it 12-2 and ended the contest.

Offensively, Felber and Colton Stevens led the way with two hits and two RBIs. Shafer chipped in two RBIs as well, while Langan, Michaelis and Ty Stevens all added two hits.

On the mound, Colton Stevens pitched a complete game, striking three out and allowing just four hits and one walk.

With the win, AmFirst advances to Wednesday's SCNBL Tournament final against No. 3 Broken Bow. The tournament hosts upset No. 2 Holdrege in Tuesday's other semifinal. First pitch for Wednesday's championship is scheduled for 8:15 p.m.

Herrmann-Jones suffers semifinal loss

OXFORD, Neb. -- No. 4 McCook Herrmann-Jones bowed out to top-seed Oxford 11-3 in a semifinal game of the South Central Nebraska Baseball League ‘B’ Tournament in Oxford.

Herrmann-Jones plays No. 10 Broken Bow in a consolation game Wednesday in Oxford. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Oxford advances to the tournament championship and will play No. 3 Cambridge.