Fort Calhoun baseball coach Roy Prauner and his staff will continue to make player evaluations as their young team plays its spring schedule.
Those assessments were on the coach's mind Tuesday as the Pioneers dropped their second-straight game by run-rule, falling to 1-5 overall. FCHS lost 11-1 to Douglas County West on Monday before a 12-2 loss at Class B No. 4 Bennington 24 hours later.
“With our couple of seniors out of the mix for awhile, we've gotten multiple opportunities to see some of our younger guys play,” Prauner said. “And, now, we're going to go back and sit down and see what our best nine looks like.”
Four-year contributors Ty Hallberg and Zack Faucher were limited Tuesday against the Badgers. While both ballplayers made pitching appearances, they mostly watched alongside their younger, less-experienced teammates as the home team took a 5-1 lead through the first inning and won by 10.
Three Bennington runs during the five-run opening frame scored on FCHS overthrows.
“They just keep kicking themselves in the foot a little bit,” Prauner said of his inexperienced infielders.
The Badgers added two more runs during the second frame before Levi lasher pitched a scoreless third for the Pioneers.
Bennington responded, however, scoring three runs in the fourth inning and then two more in the fifth on bases-loaded walks, closing the game out by run-rule.
A Calhoun bright spot, however, was the work of Sam Halford in the batter's box. He plated both of his team's runs, including the first on an RBI single to centerfield during the top of the first inning.
“He's doing a great job,” Prauner said, citing multiple quality at-bats and the example the infielder has set for his teammates. “His attitude and leadership has been great this year.”
Austin Welchert and Tristan Fuhrman both scored on Halford swings at Lynn R. Pruess Field. Sam Genoways, Avery Quinlan and Chase Premer reached base, too, but they were left there as the Badgers moved to 7-0 this season.
The Pioneers were scheduled back on the diamond Thursday against Arlington and will next play 4:30 p.m. Monday at Elkhorn Mount Michael.
DCW beats FC in 5
Fort Calhoun scored Monday's first run in Valley, but Douglas County West scored the next 11, winning 11-1 in five innings.
The Falcons answered the Pioneers' first-inning run with six of their own during the bottom half. From there, the home team secured its first victory of the spring.
Halford led FCHS with two hits in defeat, while pitcher Declyn Otte tallied five strikeouts.
