Holcomb baseball takes two from Scott City

Holcomb, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Over the last couple weeks, Mother Nature has not been kind to the spring sports schedules. With rain impacting games last Thursday to wind on Tuesday, to bitterly cold temperatures and moisture anticipated Friday, Scott City and Holcomb were able to move their doubleheader up a day to Thursday. Thursday’s doubleheader turned out to be a nice afternoon at the ball field. While the first game was one-sided in a Longhorn 13-3 win in six innings, the finale of the day turned out to be a good defensive battle. Holcomb completed the sweep by rallying for a 4-3 win in walk-off fashion.

Holcomb 13, Scott City 3, Game 1 (6 Inn.)
Holcomb wasted little time getting the scoring going, putting two runs on the board in each of the first two innings to build a 4-0 lead. Scott City would rally for their first run in the top of the third, when Blaine Culp singled in Lucas Hoopes to pull to within 4-1. Once you thought the Beavers were back in the game, the Longhorns flexed their muscles. Holcomb would score six runs on six hits in the inning to open the game up and take a 10-1 lead. Scott City scored two runs in the top of the fifth, as Evyan Smith drove in two runs on an error to pull to within 10-3. The game would end in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Jordan Ramsey cleared the bases on a three-run double to left-center field to end the game at 13-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning due to the 10-run rule.

Jamison Martin went 4-4, with two triples and drove in three runs for Holcomb, Paden Cornelsen went 3-4 with two RBI and Jordan Ramsey had two hits and drove in four. River Amos pitched the first three-plus innings, and gave up a run on two hits. Brayden Goddard got the win, going the final three innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on two hits. Aaron Hoopes took the loss for Scott City, going 2 1/3 innings, allowing nine runs, eight earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts. Brady Herman went the final 2 2/3-plus, surrendering four runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Holcomb outhit the Beavers 14-4.

Game 1 Box Score
HB VS SC BB G1

Holcomb 4, Scott City 3, Game 2
I appeared early on that Scott City put away their run-rule loss. Despite having one hit, the Beavers hung a three-spot on the board in the top of the first to take a 3-0 lead.  Evyan Smith had the lone RBI in game two for Scott City, as he drove in Blaine Culp. Alex Depperschmidt and Aaron Hoopes scored on wild pitches. The game remained 3-0 Beavers until the bottom of the third, when the Longhorns scored two runs, all unearned, with two outs to pull to within 3-2. Both teams would have multiple runners over the next 3 1/2 innings, but were unable to push them across. Then the bottom of the seventh happened. A single by Brayden Goddard and a double by A.J. Ortega got the two winning runs into scoring position with no one out, followed by an intentional walk to Jamison Martin loaded the bases for Holcomb with no one out. Kaden Tichenor would reach base on an error, that scored Goddard and Ortega to give the Longhorns the walk-off 4-3 win.

Jamison Martin went 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs, one earned, on one hit and struck out seven. Kaden Tichenor pitched the rest of the way to get the win, surrendering only one base runner, and held Scott City hitless, with six strikeouts. Tichenor drove in two runs. Scott City’s Kevin Herman took the loss, going six-plus innings, allowing four runs, all unearned, on five hits, and had nine strikeouts. Alex Depperschidt had the lone hit for the Beavers. Holcomb would outhit Scott City 5-1, and had three errors to the Beavers’ 2.

Game 2 Box Score
HB VS SC BB G2

Holcomb improves to 3-1 overall, and 3-1 in the GWAC, while Scott City drops to 0-3 overall and o-3 in league play. Holcomb visits Ulysses on Tuesday, while Scott City travels to Spearville on Tuesday.

Coach David Dirks Postgame