Courtesy of Rich Ray
Badlands- 12, Fremont- 4
Badlands (R-H-E): 12-18-0; Fremont (R-H-E): 4-8-4
Win: Kyler Beekman (5-0); Loss: Luke Gainer: (0-1); Save: None
HR: Fremont: None; HR: Badlands: Balas Buckmaster (1st; 2 on in 2nd inning); Royce Vandine (2nd; 1 on in 7th inning)
Fremont, Nebraska- The Badlands Big Sticks avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of Fremont by recording a 12-4 victory over the Moo, Sunday night at Historic Moller Field.
Badlands jumped on the board in the top of the second. Joe Osborn led off with a single and Preston Jones followed with a double, Then, Balas Buckmaster hit a 1-0 pitch off Fremont starter Luke Gainer, over the left field fence for a three-run home run to put the Big Sticks up 3-0.
The Big Sticks equaled that output in the third. Isaac Huettl led off with a walk. Three batters later, Jones singled to put runners at the corners. Buckmaster hit a ground ball to third, but Ben Swails’ throw was mishandled by Jason Clark at first base, allowing two runs to score. Then, Kobe Krenz singled to left and Moo left fielder Braden Sweet misplayed the ball, allowing Buckmaster to score, making it 6-0.
In the fifth, Buckmaster led off with a triple. Two batters later, Cam Credeur hit an RBI double, bringing home Buckmaster, to make it 7-0.
Huettl led off the sixth with a double. Then, Royce Vandine hit a high chopper back to the mound, but relief pitcher Zane Leyden’s throw to first was wide, putting runners at second and third. Osborn was hit by a pitch, then Jones delivered a two RBI single, scoring Huettl and Vandine, to make it 9-0.
In the seventh, the Big Sticks added three more. Troy Berg delivered a one-out double and advanced to third on relief pitcher Cooper Mollett’s wild pitch. Huettl poked an RBI single, scoring Berg, and advanced to second on a misplay by Fremont center fielder Neil Jansen. Next, on a 3-1 pitch, Vandine hit a two run home run over the scoreboard in right center field, to make it 12-0.
Fremont finally got on the board in the bottom of the seventh. Jason Clark led off with a walk, then Christian Hobbs doubled to put runners at second and third. Jansen then hit an RBI single to center, scoring Clark, to make it 12-1. Next, Tyman Long hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Hobbs, to make it 12-2. Two batters later, Jayson Willers delivered an RBI single to left, scoring Jansen, to make it 12-3.
In the bottom of the ninth, with one out, Willers was hit by a Troy Berg pitch, then advanced to second on a passed ball. Two batters later, Ben Swails smacked a double to the left field fence, scoring Willers to make it 12-4. However, Berg got Braden Sweet to swing and miss at a 3-2 pitch for the final out of the game.
Kyler Beekman (5-0) earned the win for the Big Sticks. He pitched 5.0 innings, giving up three hits, two walks and struck out seven. Garrett Lundmark pitched 1.0 inning, giving up one walk with one wild pitch and hitting two batters. Calvin Watkins pitched 1.0 inning, giving up four hits, three runs and walked one. Moses Dokes pitched 1.0 inning, walking one and had one wild pitch. Troy Berg pitched 1.0 inning, giving up one hit, one run, struck out one and hit one batter.
Fremont’s Luke Gainer (0-1) took the loss. The Omaha native at Nebraska-Omaha pitched 2.2. innings, giving up seven hits, three earned runs, walked three, struck out five and gave up the home run to Buckmaster. Zane Leyden pitched 3.1 innings. The Firth, Nebraska native at Bellevue University gave up six hits, two earned runs and struck out four. Cooper Mollett pitched 2.0 innings. The Edina, Minnesota native at Northern Iowa Area Community College gave up five hits, two earned runs, walked two, struck out four, yielded the home run to Vandine, had three wild pitches and hit one batter. Trey Nichols pitched 1.0 inning. The Bowling Green, Missouri native at Midland University, struck out one.
Nine separate players recorded hits for Badlands. Marques Abdelhosn was 2-for-4. Troy Berg was 2-for-5. Isaac Huettl was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Royce Vandine was 1-for-3 with a two-run home run. Joe Osborn was 3-for-4. Preston Jones was 3-for-6 with two RBI’s. Balas Buckmaster was 2-for-5 with a three run home run. Kobe Krenz was 1-for-4 with an RBI, and Cam Credeur was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
For Fremont, Neil Jansen was 1-for-4. The Cypress, California native at San Jose State knocked in one run. Conner Petersen was 2-for-5. The Tucson, Arizona native at Midland University, had two doubles. Ben Swails was 2-for-4. The Tiffin, Iowa native at the University of Iowa had one RBI.
More Information: The Moo finished the first half of the Independence League schedule 17-7, one full game ahead of the BIg Sticks for first place in the standings. The two teams wrapped up their regular season series with each other, tied at three games, apiece. With Christian Hobbs’ double in the seventh inning, the Omaha native at Black Hawk Community College extended his hitting streak to eleven straight games. However, by going 1-for-4, Sunday, Hobbs’ multi-hit game streak was snapped at six games.
Up Next: Badlands (17-9) will begin the second half of the schedule, Tuesday at Spearfish, versus the Sasquatch. Fremont (17-7) begins second half play by hosting the Nebraska Prospects, Tuesday night. First pitch will be 7:05pm. Tuesday’s game will be game one of a three game series with the Prospects, and game seven of the Moo’s 12-game homestand. Tuesday night will be college night. All students with a valid college ID get a free general admission ticket. Tuesday will also be “Two-for-Tuesday”. There will be two for one on the price of admission and popcorn, plus $2.50 specials on 16 ounce Coors Light drinks. For tickets go to www.fremontmoo.com/tickets, or call (402)-660-1217.
On the Air: All Moo home and road games are broadcast on radio on Big Dog Country, 98.9 FM and 1340 AM, KHUB. Games can be heard on smartphones, iPads, and other mobile devices via the Moo website: www.fremontmoo.com/mixlr. All Moo home games have live video streaming at www.fremontmoo.com and on YouTube at: BSDN Live.
