Friday, April 14, 2017

Brayden Welch's Grand Slam Puts NEN Baseball on Winning Track

Northeast Nodaway posted its first win of the year as Brayden Welch hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first and the Bluejays, behind a complete game from Spencer Weir, cruised to a 7-1 victory over Platte Valley Thursday. The game was the first of a double header thanks to a series of rainouts.

Northeast started off by getting some good swings off Longhorn pitcher Cameron Watson as Spencer Weir singled to left and stole second. Chet Spire hit a grounder that caromed off third base and into left field for a double as Weir scored after having stolen second. Andrew Freemyer nearly lined into a double play as Longhorn shortstop Tristan Freemyer, Andrew's cousin, snagged a screamer and Chet Spire had to scramble to get back in time.

Platte Valley had a play on where their shortstop and then second baseman would both cut in behind the runner on second for most of the game. It backfired on the next play as Rowdy West singled through the vacated spot at shortstop, moving Chet Spire to third. Ethan Adwell hit a slow roller to third; Spire froze third baseman Trey Farnan by faking a move home, and everyone was safe. That set up Brayden Welch's grand slam; it was a towering blast to dead center that landed around 350 feet away from home plate to make it 5-0.

From there, Spencer Weir pitched strongly; in the second, he froze Tanner Davis on a pitch the clipped the outside corner and overpowered Nate Jermain. Northeast added to their lead in the third when Brayden Welch singled down the left field line, stole second, went to third on Chance Barber's groundout to first, and came home on Reed McIntyre's groundout to short.

Platte Valley got their lone run in the fourth when Reagan Meyer reached on an error when NEN first baseman Reed McIntyre dropped a throw. Spencer Weir rung up Tanner Davis at the knees after recovering from a wild pitch that sent Meyer to second. Nate Jermain threw a comebacker to the mound; Meyer took off for third too soon and was out in a rundown as Jermain reached safely on a fielder's choice. Clayton Wilmes hit a shot into the right center gap; Brayden Welch was on the run, but came up just short as it dropped in for a single as Jermain went to third. Logan Harlan, running for Wilmes, took off for second; Northeast tried to retire him for the third out, but Harlan was safe and Jermain took off for home on the throw for the successful double steal attempt for Platte Valley's only run of the game to make it 6-1. It could have been more without the rundown out.

Northeast got the run back when Rowdy West hit one of the hardest line drives hit around the area; he got hold of a pitch right down the middle and just a second later, it crashed hard off the scoreboard for a home run as Northeast went in front 7-1.

No comments: