(Glenwood) Glenwood scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth, held off Atlantic in the top of the seventh, and moved on to the Substate semifinal on Monday, with a 3-2 win at Glenwood on Friday.
The Rams scored three runs on ten hits. The Trojans scored two runs on three hits. Glenwood left 12 runners on base and threatened to score in each of the first five innings, but Atlantic pitcher Lane Nelson dug in and pitched out of a jam each time. The senior pitched five and one-third innings before reaching the 110 maximum pitch count. Nelson struck out six and walked five. Kayden Anderson picked up the win in the circle, with 11 strikeouts and three walks.
“We left so many runners on base, and could never get that hit when we needed it,” said Glenwood Head Coach Kurt Schulz. “I give all the credit to Atlantic’s pitcher Lane Nelson; he threw a heck of a game. He’s a good athlete and a good competitor. He threw well when we played Atlantic during the regular season. I thought we would get to him earlier with all of the base runners we had, but it didn’t happen.
“Kayden battled the entire game,” said Schulz. “He had some high pitch counts early, then dropped the count in the middle innings, and got out of a couple of jams with strikeouts. I told him, I would have to pull him when his pitch count reached the maximum 110,” said Schulz. “He told me I am going to pitch to the max, and I’m going to get ’em. He went out and struck out two batters in the top of the seventh.”
The Trojans grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Nolan Waters singled, and Easton O’Brien reached base on an error. Jayden Proehl drove home Waters with a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield, and Garrett McLaren blasted an RBI double to centerfield scoring O’Brien.
The Rams turned the tide in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs on two hits. Caleb Dressel walked, Nolan Little layed down a bunt single, Jayme Fritts’ moved the runners to second and third, and Kayden Anderson walked to load the bases. Trent Patton drew an RBI walk, plated another run on a wild pitch, and J.D. Colpitts singled and drove in the go-ahead run to give the home team a 3-2 lead going into the top of the 7th inning.
Anderson reached his pitch count with two strikeouts in the top of the 7th inning, and Colpitts took the mound for relief duties and closed out the game.
Garrett McLaren led the Trojans offensively with an RBI double, Jackson McLaren and Nolan Waters each hit singles, and Jayden Proehl drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
“I am proud of our team’s effort, all the way around,” said Atlantic Head Coach Joe Brummer. “Lane Nelson did a phenomenal job pitching for us. A super effort from our seniors. Wyatt Redinbaugh behind the plate did an amazing job, Garrett McLaren hit a huge RBI double that helped us get that lead in the second inning, and sophomore Nolan Waters drilled a first-pitch fastball to lead off the inning. We had a lot of players that didn’t have much playing time step up, and the entire team put up a great fight.”
Colpitts led the Rams with two singles and a double, and Trent Patton stroked a couple of singles.
Glenwood heads to the semifinals with an 18-9 record. Atlantic bows out at 9-18 on the season.
