Northeast Nodaway dug itself into a big hole, and had to come back twice before they finally got a big inning in the sixth to beat West Nodaway 13-7 last Tuesday.
With the wind howling in from center, and an ominous swarm of vultures congregating in the timber east of the ball diamond, all hell threatened to break loose as the Rockets started teeing off on starting pitcher Colton Swalley, bunching together a walk and three singles for two runs. Swalley got out of the inning with two straight strikeouts, but the Bluejays were down 2-0.
Northeast was swinging the bats better than they were in the East Atchison game, but they were hitting it hard but right at people early on. Meanwhile, Bryan Hyatt hit a high chopper past third for a base hit, advanced to second on Hunter Dawson’s groundout, stole third, and came home on catcher Grant McIntyre’s throwing error to make it 3-0. The Rockets took advantage of another Bluejay error and scored again when Gabe Goff’s pop fly squirted just out of everybody’s reach behind the bag at second to make it 4-0. That chased Swalley, and Dylan McIntyre struck out Will Cordell to get out of the second.
Like East Atchison, West Nodaway gave Northeast its best shot and threw its best pitcher, Hunter Dawson, at the Bluejays. But Northeast finally got to him in the second when Lane Dack singled to right, stole second, and took third on a wild pitch. Chase Atkins got down 0-2 in the count, but doubled to the corner in left to bring home Dack. Brayden Munns struck out, but Zach Pride tripled into the corner in right in front of the gate to score one and he came home when the throw to try to get Pride at third caromed off his helmet, allowing him to score to make it 4-3.
West Nodaway threatened in the third as two hit batters and a walk loaded the bases with two outs. But Dylan McIntyre struck out Mason Chitwood looking to get out of the inning. Northeast could not take advantage as they crushed it into the wind, but right at people for outs.
Dylan McIntyre walked Gabe Goff after Brayden Munns made a diving catch in right for the Bluejays to retire James Graham to start the fourth. McIntyre then picked off Goff for the second out. That turned out to be a big item as the bases were empty for Will Cordell’s double with two outs. Blake Bohannon grounded out to end the threat.
Northeast finally moved into the lead in the fourth. Brayden Munns hit hard, but right at third for an out, but Zach Pride and Grant McIntyre reached on consecutive errors and Ben Boswell’s pop fly single loaded the bases. Colton Swalley’s line drive found its way into center to score one, and Auston Pride walked to force in another run to put Northeast up 5-4.
But just like that, Northeast had to win the game all over again. With one out, Bryan Hyatt walked and Hunter Dawson singled. Kayden Conn struck out, and Lane Dack, who had rescued the Bluejays against East Atchison, came on to face Mason Chitwood. But Chitwood crushed one into the wind and muscled it out of the park and just like that, West Nodaway was back in front 7-5.
Northeast kept hitting it hard in the fifth, but right at people in the fifth, but Lane Dack struck out the side in the Rocket sixth to keep Northeast in the game. Dawson was out of pitches in the sixth, and Northeast greeted Bryan Hyatt as Colton Swalley hit a shot off the third baseman for a base hit. He went to second on a wild pitch and Dylan McIntyre, Auston Pride, and Lane Dack all singled to erase the deficit and tie it at 7-7 with Dack on first and Pride on third. Dack stole second and then Chase Atkins flied out to score Pride to put Northeast in front 8-7.
Brayden Munns was hit by a pitch and Brycen Kennard (running for Munns) stole second. That set up more big blows as Zach Pride hit a single to score Auston and put Kennard on third. Pride stole second and Grant McIntyre’s double brought both runs home. Ben Boswell doubled, but Grant McIntyre held up as the ball was in danger of being caught, putting runners on second and third. Colton Swalley’s groundout scored McIntyre and Dylan McIntyre’s single scored Boswell to make it 13-7.
West Nodaway had one chance to get a rally going as Hyatt singled with one out. But he tried to stretch a single into a double and was out in a rundown; Lane Dack got Dawson to ground out to end the game.
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