Despite the threat of storms overhead for much of the day, the Arlington and Fort Calhoun baseball programs demonstrated patience with their second meeting ahead on the evening's schedule.
As a result of their schools' forbearance, the Washington County teams met on the Pioneers' ballfield Tuesday and competed after a 30-minute rain delay. FCHS beat the Eagles 12-2 in five innings, claiming its second win of the season against coach Tyler Stender's squad.
The Pioneers (5-9 overall) delivered at the plate for the third-straight game, too. Coach Roy Prauner's lineup earned the run-rule victory after combining for 19 more runs across its previous two games.
“I think we've been hitting well as of late,” the coach said. “I know Arlington is down on pitching just because of this weekend and stuff, but I felt like we saw one of DC West's top guys and we handled him. We saw one of Raymond Central's top guys and we handled him.
“I think our bats are doing a little better,” he continued.
Arlington, meanwhile, dropped to 4-12 in defeat. It played its seventh game in six days when facing Calhoun.
“It's been a grind,” Stender said. “It's been a lot of baseball and we've taken our lumps.”
The Eagles finished just 1-6 during the busy stretch.
“It's been tough, but you've just got to move forward with a positive attitude,” the coach said.
Notably, AHS started fast and actually scored Tuesday's first run during the top of the first frame. Tim Halley earned a leadoff walk against FCHS pitcher Alex Christensen, and made his way to third base on a steal and an Arlington groundout.
Blaine Vogt sacrificed next, securing the Eagles' only lead of the ballgame — 1-0.
The Pioneers answered instantly, though, when Sam Genoways scored on a passed ball during the bottom half. The home team then asserted control of the Nebraska Capitol Conference matchup in the second inning, scoring four runs on RBI swings by Eli Tinkham, AJ Duros and Genoways.
Duros' triple plated two teammates.
Prauner said Fort Calhoun recently tinkered with its batting order, switching Duros from the leadoff spot for Wellwood and flipping Carter and Alex Christensen.
“Trying to get a little bang for our buck, you know?” the coach said. “But, the great thing is, the two kids we moved are upperclassmen and they were great about it. They had, probably, one of the better games they've had in awhile moving into those spots.”
Alex Christensen later blasted a three-run double to right-centerfield, while Duros, Carter Christensen and Jefferey Pringle also turned at-bats into runs.
“That just shows the good kids we have and the leadership we have,” Prauner said, further explaining how well his seniors accepted their new spots in the lineup.
Down 12-1 during the top of the fifth inning, Arlington added a run, but it wasn't enough to extend the game. The Eagles' overall struggles continued in the 10-run loss as the Pioneers celebrated their second win in three games.
“We've just got to get better,” Coach Stender said. “It's just not real good baseball.”
He addressed AHS in the postgame huddle a bit longer than usual Tuesday.
“It's not real clean (baseball) and the guys know that,” Stender explained. “We know we can play better. We're just, kind of, mentally not focused right now and we've got to figure out how to fix that.”
Fort Calhoun, however, feels as if it's starting to get things figured out with its recent upswing in run production.
“We've been close all year and I think we're closer than we've ever been to breaking through,” Prauner said.
The coach spoke more on the topic as his players and staff worked the damp infield dirt after a five-inning home win.
“For the amount of close games and heartbreaking losses we've had, I think this group has really, really stuck together and just continued to move forward,” he said. “So, hopefully, when we hit that end of the season it's all working and it's all clicking.”
The Pioneers were set to play Raymond Central on Thursday and next compete today at South Sioux City in Klasey Park.
Arlington, meanwhile, faces Malcolm at 4:30 p.m. today on the Clippers' home diamond. The Eagles then host Lincoln Lutheran 11 a.m. Saturday at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
Eagles lose home game
Prior to Tuesday's road trip, AHS lost 9-6 at home Monday to Thurston-Cuming County.
The Eagles' opposition scored six sixth-inning runs, turning a 4-3 deficit into a commanding lead. The home squad scored two runs during the bottom half, but couldn't climb any closer during the seventh frame.
Luke Sharp and Tyler Ott, who homered, led AHS at the plate, notching two RBIs apiece, while Jackson Stosich had one. Sharp had a team-best three hits, too.
Ott also suffered the loss on the mound despite five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of work.
PREP BASEBALL LINE SCORES
Tuesday
Fort Calhoun 12, Arlington 2, 5 inn.
AHS (4-12) 1 0 0 0 1 — 2
FCHS (5-9) 1 4 6 1 X — 12
Monday
Thurston-Cuming County 9, Arlington 6
TCC (3-7) 0 0 3 0 0 6 0 — 9 11 4
AHS (4-11) 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 — 6 8 3
