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McCook FCB Juniors sweep Kearney, blast Bulls
McCOOK, Neb. — Mowing on a weekend has never been more fun as First Central Bank Juniors motored through Kearney, Elwood and Eustis at the Jaycees Complex.
Coach Kaden Sitzman’s team went from one win this season to five after playing all of its first several games on the road.
The FCB boys avenged a doubleheader sweep in June when they beat Kearney Five Points, 4-2 and 10-4, Friday evening.
On Monday, McCook was even more dominant against Elwood-Eustis while a late-night thunderstorm developed in the distance.
FCB unleashed a 16-1 opening win and then blanked the visiting Bulls, 10-0, to reach 4-0 at home.
“The big key is our guys pounding the strike zone and not getting in hitter’s counts,” Sitzman said. “We’re playing good baseball just overall.”
The final tally for these four games was McCook 40, four foes 7.
Alex Anthony pitched all seven innings of the closest high-pressure contest which FCB won 4-2 on Friday.
Anthony even crushed a triple just over the Kearney center fielder’s glove to break a 1-1 deadlock.
Carter Larson also connected for one huge RBI-single into right field.
However, the driving force was Anthony’s pitching along with almost error-free FCB defense.
Anthony kept Kearney Five Points off-balance from start to finish as he delivered some timely strikeouts.
McCook FCB proved this was no flash in the pan. They took game two, 10-4, with Dahlton Wood pitching and plenty of timely hits.
There was no doubt about home dominance Monday evening.
Layten Bortner pitched game one and earned the 16-1 victory over those E-E Bulls.
McCook took a quick 2-0 lead on Anthony’s RBI-double and a hustling infield hit from Cameron Werkmeister.
The Bulls closed within 2-1 only to see Lucas Gomez-Wilson and Coleton Lentz ignite FCB’s second inning.
Larson quickly sent a two-run single into right field. Werkmeister’s fly ball sent Lentz home for the 5-1 McCook margin.
Bortner pitched like a pro who knows how to protect leads. He worked a 1-2-3 third which featured third baseman Kolyn Gaston’s stop of smokin’ Bulls ground ball.
Anthony next delivered a two-RBI double down the left-field line to continue his home hitting spree.
Now leading 7-1, the FCB defense turned a terrific 4-6-3 inning-ending double play. Shortstop Adam Dugger made the smooth relay throw to first after covering second base.
FCB really shook free during an eight-run fourth frame where Gaston, Gomez-Wilson, Layne Stevens and Jaylen Gonzalez ripped RBI-hits.
Jacob Gomez-Wilson pitched the 10-0 shutout in Monday’s second game.
McCook FCB will be home again for a single game Friday night against Minden (6 p.m.).