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MNB will host league final with Kearney
McCOOK, Neb. — For the first time this summer, Kearney Jerseys Sports Grill must play McCook National Bank on its home diamond to decide a 2018 Seniors league champion.
The matchup has been officially set on Wednesday night with a 7 p.m. first pitch at McCook’s Jaycees Complex.
MNB (20-10 record) has enjoyed two trips to Kearney, edging Jerseys (18-13 record) 3-2 on June 8 and then winning again 12-2 two weeks later during a tournament.
The first game featured plenty of late drama. Tied 2-2, DJ Gross reached base on a sixth-inning error and dashed home thanks to Justin Barenberg’s tie-breaking single.
Kearney Jerseys moved another potential tying run to third base, but Trae Koetter “froze” the final batter for a game-ending strikeout.
Game two brought McCook blasting away any doubts in the first three innings.
Kaleb Taylor and Seth Dugger both ripped three-base hits while driving in three runs apiece.
Derek Greenlee went two-for-two and James Mockry scored three times for a 12-1 MNB lead.
Now round three arrives with MNB probably playing its best baseball all season.
The Seniors clinched a West Division title with Clayton Stevens’ one-hit shutout against Gothenburg (12-0 win) last week.
They moved on to an always challenging Hays, Kan., Tournament and delivered four consecutive wins before a final defeat against Hays.
MNB owns a 20-10 record which means both of McCook’s top two Legion teams have reached 20 victories this season.
The First Central Bank Juniors are 20-8 entering tonight’s B-6 area title game — also at that Jaycees Complex.
Meanwhile, Kearney Jerseys dropped its previous game 14-0 at Lexington on Sunday. They do own impressive wins over East Division foe Shelton-Gibbon, who MNB defeated for the league title last season in Gibbon.
McCook plays one more regular-season home game on Saturday against Alliance. First pitch is set at noon.