Melons deny MNB Seniors a win with last at-bat

Coleton Lentz worked through four innings to help the McCook National Bank Seniors stay close in Wednesday’s Legion baseball game at Gothenburg.

Rebecca Steward/Syndicate Publishing

GOTHENBURG, Neb. — Trailing 12-5, Gothenburg’s Melons plated eight runs during the final two innings of a wild 13-12 win over McCook National Bank Wednesday evening.

The MNB Seniors (0-9 record were oh-so-close to their first win as they took a 6-0 lead before Gothenburg’s first swing.

Travis Neben drew an RBI-walk with the bases loaded, then two runs scored on Ashton Parker-Johnson’s ground ball.

Lincoln Michaelis soon sent a clean single into left, which got rather dirty for the Melons when they misplayed this baseball.

Neben, Johnson and Nathan Haddix all raced home for a 6-0 MNB lead.

Gothenburg rallied within 6-4 only to see Payton Dellevoet and Coleton Lentz score on consecutive passed balls.

Jadon Karp soon scored thanks to a third baseman’s fielding error while regaining a 9-4 MNB margin.

The Seniors tallied three more runs thanks to Neben’s RBI-sacrifice fly, a fielder’s choice and another infield grounder from Isaac Nielsen.

The MNB 12-5 lead held up until Gothenburg’s final swing.

Wes Geiken’s single turned into one more error which sent the tying plus winning Melon runs to score.

Bennett Geiken picked up the win with two innings where he did not allow any MNB hits.

Quentin Terry did single twice to lead McCook while Coleton Lentz also ripped two hits.

He also walked and joined Karp in scoring a team-high three runs apiece.

Dellevoet pitched the first two innings, allowing three hits and four earned runs.

Lentz threw 4 2/3 innings of relief where the Melons plated six unearned runs among their nine against him.

Though Lentz permitted just three hits, MNB pitchers walked 10 overall and struck out four.