Reece Gray, Bluejays Rally to Clinch Winning Season in Districts

Reece Gray delivered a walkoff hit for Northeast Nodaway after they had trailed East Atchison 10-5 at one point and Northeast Nodaway clinched a winning season Wednesday with an 11-10 win over the Wolves. The Bluejays picked up right where they left off against perennial powerhouse Maysville, building up a 4-1 lead by the fourth inning. But then as the walks started to mount, the season slipped away and by the time the dust had settled, the Bluejays  had walked ten Wolverine batters and were on the wrong end of a 14-4 game to end their season.

The East Atchison game started off well for the Bluejays as Jordan Dannar was plunked to start the Bluejay first. He stole second and the ball got away, allowing him to take third. Reece Gray grounded out to score him to make it 1-0.

But then the floodgates opened for the Wolves in the fourth after Tate Johnson reached on an error. Axyl Slemp walked and Carter Oswald reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Finn Hurst walked to force in a run. Northeast nearly got out of it with the game tied as Brody Wennihan grounded to Brock Healy on the mound and the Bluejays turned a perfect home and third double play. But another error kept the inning going, and that proved to be too much for the Bluejays, as Knox Oswald doubled in Finn Hurst and Brody Wennihan to make it 3-1.

Brady O’Connell singled and Gaige Bodle walked. Jordan Dannar singled to score Xander Bodle (running for O’Connell) and put Bodle on third. Jordan Dannar took second on a passed ball. Lance Runde flied out to score Gaige Bodle to tie it at 3-3. Reece Gray doubled to score Dannar to put the Bluejays back in front 4-3.

Josh Schlueter singled to start the Wolves fifth. Tate Johnson forced Schlueter at second. Axyl Slemp doubled to right to put Johnson on third. Johnson scored on an error to tie it at 4-4, and then Carter Oswald doubled to left to break the tie and make it 5-4. The Bluejays used their second double play to get out of the inning as Finn Hurst flied out to Bentin Roberts in left. Carter Oswald tried to advance to third, but the umpires ruled he had not tagged up, resulting in a double play.

Brock Healy walked after a long at-bat, recovering from a 1-2 count. Wyatt Scadden forced him at second. Scadden stole second. Liam Cordell singled to center to tie the game up at 5-5.

Another error by the Bluejays opened the floodgates in the sixth as Brody Wennihan reached safely. Mason McMahon doubled to left and Knox Oswald walked to load the bases. Kaden Nelson struck out, but a second error plated three runs and put runners on second and third with one out.  A single scored two more and just like that, the Wolves were seemingly in control at 10-5.

But Lance Runde walked, Reece Gray was hit, and Jace Burns walked to load the bases. Brock Healy popped out, but Wyatt Scadden singled to center to score two to cut it to 10-7. Brady O’Connell grounded to third for a forceout. But the throw to first got away and Scadden took third as O’Connell reached first safely. Another Wolves error scored Scadden to make it 10-8 as Liam Cordell reached second and Xander Bodle (running for O’Connell) reached third.

With the Bluejays down 10-8 going into the seventh, Jordan Dannar struck out, but Lance Runde walked and Reece Gray reached on an error as Runde took third. Gray stole second. Jace Burns flied out for the second out and the Bluejays got down to their final strike, but Brock Healy was plunked to keep the inning going and load the bases. Once again, Northeast got down to their final strike, only for Wyatt Scadden to beat out an infield hit to score Lance Runde. The ball got away and Reece Gray scored as well to tie it at 10-10.

The Wolves hit the ball hard in the eighth inning, but right at people as Bentin Roberts snagged Finn Hurst’s line drive to left and Brock Healy snagged Mason McMahon’s line drive to short.

Bentin Roberts grounded out, but Gaige Bodle singled to turn over the lineup. Jordan Dannar singled to put runners on first and second. Lance Runde singled to right and Gaige Bodle was safe on the throw home as Northeast Nodaway was able to walk it off and claim a winning season.