The first two games of Northeast Nodaway’s baseball schedule were brutal. First, against St. Joseph Christian, a powerhouse baseball team, the Bluejays fell 23-0. Then, pitted against perennial powerhouse Mid-Buchanan, the Bluejays did better, but still fell 12-1. They were supposed to play a game against Maryville, a Class 3 power, but it got rained out. Finally, on Thursday, they got to play against someone their own size. Still hung over from their first two games, they dug themselves into a 6-0 hole after four. But after that, they realized they could play baseball with East Atchison, although their rally fell short and they lost 6-4.
The trouble started in the second. With the score tied 0-0, pitcher Brayden Stevens walked three and hit one to force in one run. Stevens struck out Blake Simmons looking, but they couldn’t turn a 6-4-3 double play as shortstop Drew Dack’s throw to Camdain Frisch at second was in time, but Alex Erickson beat out the relay throw to first. Then, Zack Stevens successfully stole third, the throw got away, and Stevens scored as Brody Wennihan took third. River Dow’s base hit scored Wennihan and the Wolves were on top 4-0.
The Wolves added to their lead in the third when Tate Johnson doubled into the left field corner and Luke Morey singled him home to make it 5-0. Drew Dack came on in relief of Brayden Stevens and struck out the last two East Atchison batters to get out of the inning as the Bluejays finally started to show some fight.
A wild pitch let Erickson in to make it 6-0 in the fourth, but then Dack got out of the inning after walking the bases full with two outs, striking out Morey.
It looked like an early exit was still in the cards for the Bluejays after they wasted Grant McIntyre’s leadoff triple in the fourth. With two outs in the Wolves fifth, Blake Simmons singled, Alex Erickson singled Simmons to third, and Erickson stole second. A wild pitch nearly got away from Bluejay catcher Grant McIntyre, but he recovered in time to keep Simmons from scoring as he scrambled back to third. But Erickson wandered too far off second, and McIntyre picked him off to end the inning.
That play swung the momentum back in the Bluejays’ favor and Carter Chapman walked. Jack Boswell (running for Chapman) stole second. Sawyer Thurman hit a grounder to third, Boswell was trapped between second and third, but he scrambled back to the bag safely and everybody was safe. Brayden Stevens was plunked to load the bases.
Drew Dack popped out, but Tyler New singled home two runs and Grant McIntyre doubled to the left field corner to cut it to 6-3. Reece Gray grounded out to score New to cut it to 6-4.
With one out in the Wolves sixth, Owen DeRosier walked, stole second, and took third when the throw got away from shortstop Brayden Stevens. But Tate Johnson popped out to catcher Grant McIntyre, and Stevens atoned for his previous error by making a shoestring catch of Gabe Harms’ drive to get the Bluejays out of the inning.
The rest of the game saw Northeast hitting the ball hard, but right at people. Grant McIntyre narrowly missed a home run in the seventh as it hooked foul at the last minute before he walked.
East Atchison had a chance in the seventh as Luke Morey singled, Mason McMahon struck out, but Brody Wennihan walked to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Drew Dack, who had kept the Bluejays in the game with his arm, ran out of pitches at that point, but Reece Gray, a freshman, came in and got the final two outs to keep the Wolves off the board.
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