Northeast Nodaway’s baseball team was fighting for their lives against Pattonsburg, when a lightning storm intervened and both teams were sent off the field for 30 minutes. But then the threatened storms moved out, NEN was able to refocus, and the Bluejays were able to storm back for the 7-4 victory in District Semifinals. “That was the toughest team we’ve played all year,” said Coach Vance Proffitt to his team afterwards. It was similar to the Cubs Game 7 World Series win, in which they nearly melted down against Cleveland before a rain delay allowed them to recharge their batteries and recover to get the extra inning win.
Pattonsburg struck first in the top of the first as NEN pitcher Ethan Adwell began fighting the strike zone and walked the first two batters he faced, Peyton and Cameron Jones. Cole Dilley hit a pop fly that dropped in behind the mound; however, under the Infield Fly Rule, the batter is automatically out when they hit a pop fly with runners on first and second or bases loaded with less than two outs.
When the ball is caught or drops to the ground in that situation, runners can advance a base at their own risk; this is not a force play, but a tag play. On that play, Cameron Jones, thinking he was forced to advance, tried to advance to second and was tagged out for a double play. Logan Pankau then singled to left to score Peyton Jones, who had advanced to third on the preceding play.
NEN tied up the game in the bottom of the first. Spencer Weir reached on an error when third baseman Connor Ireland bobbled his chopper; he went to second on a wild pitch. Reed McIntyre struck out, but then Weir stole third and Cameron Staples walked on a close 3-2 pitch. On the first and third situation, Staples tried to steal, which most teams give uncontested. But Pattonsburg elected to throw down and Staples was caught stealing for the second out. Chet Spire then hit a pop fly behind second with two outs. The second baseman, right fielder, and center fielder were all chasing it, but it dropped in for a base hit as Weir scored to tie it at 1-1.
NEN had a chance to score in the second as Brayden Welch was hit by Peyton Jones’ pitch. Spencer Gray squibbed one in front of the plate which allowed Welch to advance, but he overran second and was picked off for a double play.
All hell threatened to break loose in the third as Cameron Jones walked. He stole second, leaving first base open, and Cole Dilley swung at a pitch in the dirt that got away for a dropped third strike and he reached safely to put runners on first and second. Logan Pankau hit a chopper that third baseman Cameron Staples charged, but couldn’t come up with as Jones scored all the way from second to make it 2-1. Connor Ireland was hit by a pitch and Justin Booth shot one past third to score Dilley and load the bases for Kaden de Jong. Kaden grounded into a double play from second baseman Levi Boulting to shortstop Spencer Weir to first baseman Reed McIntyre as another run scored to make it 4-1.
Things threatened to go from bad to worse as Spencer Weir came on in relief and walked Dylan McCrary and Peyton Jones as he was missing high. But then he got a breaking ball to drop into Cameron Jones for a called third strike. Cole Dilley grounded out to a force at third as Chet Spire caught the grounder and stepped on the bag. Logan Pankau hit a shot between first and second that looked like trouble, but first baseman Reed McIntyre came off the bag to snag it and pitcher Spencer Weir came over to cover in time for the third out.
Before the lightning delay, Northeast got one run back in the fourth. With one out, Ethan Adwell walked and Brayden Welch grounded out to short to advance him to second. Spencer Gray then hit a shot into right for a base hit to make it 4-2.
When the lightning delay ended, Connor Ireland singled to left off Spencer Weir. But Weir, who had lobbied to come back and pitch the fifth, came back to overpower Justin Booth, get Kaden de Jong with some high heat, and get Dillon Turner to chase a breaking ball to get out of the inning.
When the lightning delay ended, the wind briefly shifted; instead of blowing in, it blew out to center briefly before dying down. When Northeast came up to bat for the remaining two innings, the ball was flying off the bat as Spencer Weir hit a home run to left center to reduce the deficit to 4-3. Reed McIntyre was called out on strikes, but Cameron Staples walked on a 3-2 pitch. Chet Spire grounded out to move him over and then Ethan Adwell doubled off the wall in right center to tie it at 4-4.
Chet Spire came on in relief and walked Dylan McCrary to lead off the sixth. But with the heart of the order coming up, Spire froze Peyton Jones with a breaking ball and froze Cameron Jones with a fastball. Cole Dilley walked, but then Logan Pankau struck out as Spire preserved the tie.
Northeast almost ran themselves out of the sixth, but got three runs across. Connor Ireland came on in relief of Peyton Jones for Pattonsburg and Spencer Gray was called out on strikes. Maverick Price singled between first and second and Levi Boulting reached on an error when the center fielder came all the way over to right field to catch a pop fly near the right field line that he dropped.
Spencer Weir singled to left, but Maverick Price did not attempt to score from second, but overran third and was picked off for the second out. But then Reed McIntyre fouled off a pitch and walked on a 3-2 count to load the bases. Cameron Staples showed bunt on a 3-0 pitch and walked to force in a run, finishing Ireland and bringing in Cameron Jones. He proceeded to plunk Chet Spire and walk Ethan Adwell to force in two more runs before he could get out of the inning. Chet Spire struck out the side in the seventh to preserve Northeast’s unbeaten season.
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