Reds split doubleheader with Hickman at home (2024)

WAHOO- To close out the regular season, the Wahoo State Bank Post 82 Seniors took on Gana Trucking Hickman Post 105 in a doubleheader on July 20 at home. The Reds won the first game 7-1, before falling in the second contest 16-2 in five innings.

Taking the mound in the opening game for Wahoo was their ace, Eli Johnston. Like all season, he didn’t disappoint by pitching seven innings, giving up one earned run, and retiring six batters on strikes.

Through the first three innings of play, both team’s offenses were quiet and didn’t put up any runs. That all changed in the bottom of the fourth, when the Reds struck for five runs to take the lead.

Out of the lead-off spot in the fifth, Carson Sabatka worked a walk and then Johnston singled on a bunt to third. Next up was Isaiah Nagle who doubled to right field driving in both runners.

Two more singles from Alex Barry and Alex Borchers to left field scored three more runs and put Wahoo up by five.

After giving up one run in the top of the fifth, the Reds bounced back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. They were driven in on a groundout by Booth to second and a single by Jesse Stebbing to second.

Finishing with one hit and two RBIs in the game was Nagle. All driving in one run with at least one hit were Booth, Stebbing, and Borchers.

In game two of the doubleheader, Hickman finally found their offense. They jumped out to an 8-0 lead in their first two at-bats and never looked back in a 14-run victory.

The two runs scored by Wahoo in the contest came in the second and third innings. They were driven in on a single in the infield by Stebbing in the second and a groundout by Johnson in the third.

Starting the game for the Reds in the loss was Stebbing who pitched three innings, gave up seven earned runs, and struck out one batter. Jonas Schnakenberg pitched one inning in relief, gave up no earned runs, and set down one batter on strikes.

Coming on for 0.2 innings and surrendering eight earned runs was Sam Marxsen while Sabatka pitched 0.1 innings and gave up no earned runs.

Earlier in the week, the Reds were on the road at the Chick-fil-A Seniors on July 17. In a close contest, Wahoo held on to win by a final of 8-6.

The biggest inning in the game for the Reds was the fourth where they put up four runs.

With one runner on and two outs and clinging to a 3-2 lead, Marxsen doubled to right field and Sabatka then singled center driving in three runs and putting Wahoo up by three.

Two batters later, Nagle unloaded a triple to center that scored Johnston and pushed the Reds advantage out to 7-2.

Lincoln Lutheran battled back with one run in the fourth and three runs in the fifth which pulled them within one run of Wahoo.

The Reds closed out the game with one run in the top of the seventh. Scoring the run was Stebbing on an error in the infield by the Warriors.

Coming through with three hits and two RBIs was Marxsen while Sabatka and Nagle both ended up with one hit and one RBI.

Stebbing was the starting pitcher and went four innings, gave up four earned runs, and retired three batters on strikes. Pitching two innings in relief with four strikeouts was Marxsen while Sabatka pitched one inning and came up with one strikeout.

This week the Reds will be hosting the B4 Area Tournament that is set to start on July 26 at Sam Crawford Field in Wahoo.

The winner of the Area Tournament will move on to the Class B State Tournament at Holdrege.