Mustang Baseball Wins Opener as Jordan Jenkins Carries Team

Jordan Jenkins carried North Nodaway’s baseball team with his bat, his glove, and his arm at various points in the game as North Nodaway survived DeKalb’s efforts to get back in the game and finally run-ruled them 13-3 after six innings. DeKalb had already gotten two games under their belt, so they were playing at an advantage, while North Nodaway had only gotten outdoors three times all year. DeKalb came in hungry to get a rare win after having won one game on the field last year and another by forfeit their first year.

Nonetheless, it was North Nodaway who got out of the gate early after pitcher Logan Keho shut down the Tigers in order in the first. Jordan Jenkins shot into left just past third. There was a heartstopping moment as Tyler Bix hit a shot off pitcher Wyatt Ashpaugh to shortstop Darrin McElfresh that he had no play on. Bix crumpled up as he fell over first base just like Makayla Cross did a couple of years ago in a district softball game with North Andrew, but fortunately, despite holding his knee, he was able to walk it off and stay in the game. Karson Oberhauser moved them to third with a groundout to first, and then Arron Coleman hit a shot off Ashpaugh and the base umpire into right field for a base hit as Jenkins scored. Bix came in to score and the throw got away from catcher Josh Bomberger as Coleman took second with North Nodaway up 2-0. Coleman took third on a wild pitch, and came home on Dalton Smyser’s groundout to make it 3-0 after one.

Keho continued to cruise through the second as he only allowed Tyler Matson’s pop fly single to center. He helped himself out in the bottom of the inning as he squibbed one down the line just fair and beat it out for a scratch hit. Andrew Blackford walked and Cody Cline singled just past second as everybody advanced 90 feet. The cutoff throw got away and Keho scored, moving Blackford to third. Jordan Jenkins walked and Tyler Bix singled to right as Blackford and Cline scored. Bix was out in a rundown between first and second, but Jenkins was able to score before DeKalb could get Bix tagged out and North Nodaway led 7-0.

Logan Keho struck out the first two batters of the third, but then got into trouble, fighting the strike zone and walking Bomberger and Kolbie Hargrave. Ashpaugh, DeKalb’s best hitter, was due up, and North Nodaway intentionally walked him. But then Keho walked Darrin McElfresh on four pitches, forcing in a run, and he was finished, moving to center as Bix came in to pitch. Bix got Tyler Matson to hit a pop to first baseman Ryan Riley in foul territory behind first to get out of the third.
North Nodaway had trouble solving Monty Mydland’s big slow breaking ball and couldn’t do anything with him in the fourth. Bix got Drake Miller out to start the fourth, but then Ryan Riley dropped Bix’s throw after butterfingering it as Coyote Henderson reached safely. Bix walked the bases full, and Josh Bomberger singled in two to make it 7-3. Kolbie Hargrave walked to load the bases and bring the tying run in Ashpaugh up to the plate.

At that point, Jordan Jenkins came in to pitch for North Nodaway. He uncorked a wild pitch and Jared McElfresh made a dash to the plate. But catcher Karson Oberhauser got to the ball and got back to the plate in time to make the tag to kill DeKalb’s momentum. McElfresh hit a towering pop fly gathered in by Bix at short for the final out.

North Nodaway could not get on the board in the fourth, as Jenkins was thrown out trying to steal third. But Drexel Richardson, who had just been inserted in right by Coach Jake Shipman, made a running catch of Darrin McElfresh’s deep drive to right to keep the Tigers off the board in the fifth. The Mustangs were tentative at the plate in their half of the fifth and went nowhere, but they got the momentum again with an outstanding defensive play in the sixth.

With one out, Zach Novonty walked for DeKalb and stole second. It looked like Jordan Jenkins was starting to tire at that point. Jared McElfresh hit a pop fly that looked like it might drop in for a scratch hit. But Jenkins made a running catch near the first base line and then threw a laser beam to Bix at short for the tag and the double play.

That opened the floodgates for North Nodaway in their half of the sixth. Jordan Jenkins hit a screamer, but right at the pitcher for the first out. But Tyler Bix walked and was safe at second when shortstop Darrin McElfresh dropped a force. Arron Coleman and Dalton Smyser were hit by pitches to force in a run. Ryan Riley was seemingly handcuffed by the hard-throwing Drake Miller, but finally caught hold of one and drove it into center for two more runs to make it 10-3. Dalton Smyser was safe at third on the play and Riley advanced to second. Logan Keho reached on a dropped third strike as the ball got away on a wild pitch and Smyser scored. Keho stole second, and Andrew Blackford hit a solid shot back to the mound. Riley was caught in a rundown between third and home, but escaped Miller’s tag to score. Drexel Richardson and Jordan Jenkins walked to force in the final run.