Too many hiccups cost McCook against Hickman

McCook National Bank’s Trae Koetter threw his second super shutout when blanked Bennington, 1-0, with 6 1/3 innings on Saturday at Wayne. Koetter shut out Gothenburg, 7-0, during his previous start at the B-6 area tourney. However, MNB must rebound from Sunday's state loss to Hickman when they take on Wahoo at 1 p.m. today.

Mike Carnes/For The Gazette

WAYNE, Neb. — They improved to 14 hits from two on Saturday, but three errors and three hit batters doomed McCook National Bank’s Seniors Sunday afternoon.

“Our guys did everything we asked them to do. We just didn’t make some of the plays defensively,” coach Scott Smalley said after the 11-8 Class B state tournament loss to perennial powerhouse Hickman. “And it’s tough when you hit three batters in a row.”

Smalley was referring to some rare wildness from pitcher Drew Harvie, who only walked two during his six innings on the big stage Sunday.

However — after MNB had closed within 4-3 — Harvie did hit three consecutive Hickman batters.

Joel Benes than launched a rising rocket just beyond center fielder Cameryn Berry’s reach.

All three hit batters cored for a 7-3 lead.

Though MNB did get close again at 7-6 on a Hickman three-run miscue, two other key errors kept McCook from capturing this state “winner’s bracket” game.

MNB (25-15) now must go into win-or-go-home mode at 1 p.m. today against Wahoo.

The Post 203 Seniors outhit Hickman, 14-8, one of their best hitting efforts all season.

“We beat Hickman in every aspect of the game. At some point, you hope you’ll catch a break,” Smalley observed during his post-game media interview. “We just dug ourselves too big a hole in the third inning. But if we keep performing at the plate like we did, we’ll still be playing for a few more days.”

Logan Greenlee’s four-for-four hitting fueled the MNB attack. He also drove in the only run during McCook’s 1-0 opening state win over Bennington on Saturday.

Twin brother Derek Greenlee’s hustling infield single started the best rally on Sunday.

Spencer Krysl ripped his first of two big hits to right field, and Logan Greenlee’s single loaded the bases for MNB.

James Mockry — who hit .500 (seven for 14) at the recent B-6 area tournament — fought to a 3-2 count until he launched another fly into left field.

Hickman’s left fielder surprisingly slipped and fell while the ball tumbled past him.

Greenlee, Krysl and the other Greenlee all motored home to suddenly make it a 7-6 game.

Yet a Hickman bunt and two-base MNB throwing error made the margin 8-6.

Hickman added three more runs following another MNB fielding flub in the seventh.

Now trailing 11-6, McCook made one final rally as Krysl crushed another single and Logan Greenlee drove an RBI-double to the Wayne outfield fence.

Berry’s infield grounder scored Logan, but also left McCook only one more out while still down 11-8.

Hickman was able to get a final ground ball from Stevens that ended this state tourney game.

“That was a great baseball game. We’re not disappointed at all, especially with the 14 hits,” Smalley concluded on Sunday. “These guys could have quit and called it in after five innings, but they kept battling back. They’re responding. We just got to believe and come back tomorrow.”

Hickman (21-10 record) advances into the winner’s bracket tonight. The team trounced Alliance, 10-0, on Saturday even though Alliance brought an impressive 35-4 record into state.

McCOOK (25-15)

Vs. Hickman

MNB lost 11-8

AB R H RBI

Berry 5 0 2 2

Stevens 4 0 1 1

Dugger 3 0 1 1

Taylor 4 0 0 0

Gross 4 0 1 0

D. Greenlee 4 2 2 0

Krysl 4 2 2 0

Harvie 2 0 0 0

L. Greenlee 4 3 4 1

Mockry 3 1 0 0

WP: Harvie (3-3).

Best mound work: Drew Harvie allowed just five Hickman hits in six innings with four of the eight runs being uneaerned. He struck out three and walked two.

Doubles: Dugger (5), L. Greenlee (4,5).

RBI: Berry (25,26), Dugger (31), L. Greenlee (20), Stevens (20).

Stolen base: L. Greenlee.