Pioneer Baseball Finishes Season With Win Streak

NEBRASKA CITY-When the 2021 high school baseball season started, Nebraska City Pioneer baseball coach Kyle Ferguson knew he was going into the season with a team low on experience.  The lone returning player with extensive starting experience was senior Clay Stovall.  Coach Ferguson knew that his lineup with numerous freshmen and sophomores would go through some hard times early, but they were talented and eager to learn and would pay dividends as the season went on.  That rang true as the Pioneer baseball team came into their final regular season game against the DC West Falcons on a 3 game win streak which included a 5-3 upset of the 17-7 Ralston Rams on Friday.   The Pioneers would make that a 4 game win streak as they ended their regular season with a 7-5 victory over DC West.  

 

After both teams went scoreless in the first inning, the Pioneers got the scoring going in the second inning on a 2 RBI single by freshman Keston Holman that would score Colton Snyder and Zach Tesarek.  Baylor Poston would follow up with an RBI double that would score Hayden Coyle and the Pioneers would lead 3-0 after 2 innings.  They would add another run in the third inning on a single by Coyle that would score courtesy runner Ryan Bohling and extend their lead to 4-0.  

 

Pioneer starting pitcher, sophomore Cael Kreifel would hold the Falcons scoreless until the 4th inning when they closed the lead to 4-3 on a Pioneer error, walk and hit by pitch with the bases loaded.    

 

In the 5th inning, sophomore Colton Snyder would replace Kreifel on the mound and the Falcons would score one more run to tie the game at 4 apiece on an RBI groundout by Wrigley Strong.  

 

Both teams would remain scoreless until the bottom of the 6th inning when senior Cameron Elshire came to the plate with the bases loaded and 1 out and delivered a perfectly placed bunt single to score Coyle and take a 5-4 lead.  Kreifel would then add some insurance on a 2 RBI double to center field that would score Bayler Poston and Clay Stovall.  The Falcons would score one run in the top of the seventh, but Snyder would get CJ Wieczorek to ground out to second baseman Hayden Coyle to end the game with a 7-5 victory.  

 

Coyle would earn the win on the mound after coming in in relief by throwing 3 innings and allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits with 4 strikeouts.  Kreifel threw 4 innings and allowed no earned runs on 4 hits with 4 strikeouts.  Clyde Stenglein took the loss after throwing 6 innings, allowing 6 earned runs on 10 hits and 3 strikeouts.  

 

The Pioneers were led at the plate by Bayler Poston and Hayden Coyle with 2 hits apiece.  Keston Holman and Cael Kreifel each led the Pioneers with 2 RBI.  Stovall, Elshire, Pelican and Snyder also had hits for the Pioneers who end the season with a 4 game win streak and a 6-10 record.  

 

The Pioneers will next be in action in the Class B-5 district tournament that will be held in Beatrice.  Nebraska City earned the #5 seed and will take on the #4 seed St Paul/Palmer on Thursday, May 6th at Christiansen Field in Beatrice.  First pitch is scheduled for 4 PM.  Beatrice has the #1 seed in the district where the winner will advance to the NSAA State Baseball Tournament that will be held at Werner Park in Papillion May 15 through May 20th.  

 

River Country will have 3 other teams playing in the post season.  The Plattsmouth Blue Devils have the #2 seed in the B-1 district and will take on the #7 seed Auburn Bulldogs at Duncan Field in Hastings on Thursday, May 6th at 2:30 PM.  The Falls City Tigers earned the #6 seed in the B-4 district and will play the #3 seed Adams Central at Skutt Catholic High School on Thursday, May 6th at 7:30 PM.