Neligh Plates Four In The 7th Vs Atkinson But Rally Falls Short

By Logan Lawson
logan@pitzerdigital.com

Down by eight in the final inning, the Neligh Junior Legion baseball team scored with their first four batters of the inning but were unable to continue the rally in a 17-13 loss to Atkinson Thursday night.

The inning began with the first two Neligh batters getting on base after getting hit by Atkinson pitcher Bryce Kerkman. Beau Murray then added a single and Cole Belitz walked to put the first four batters on base. All four then scored thanks to a combination of Kerkman wild pitches and a sacrifice groundout by PJ Migulino. However, that would be all Neligh could muster as Atkinson retired the next two batters to end the game.

Neligh was led by Migulino, who went 2 for 4 with a walk on the day, including a double in the third. Tyson Belitz, Jayden Arehart, and Hunter Reestman also added two hits each in the offense-heavy contest. Cole Belitz went 0 for 2 at the plate, but drew three walks and scored three runs.

Murray got the start on the mound for Neligh and threw nearly 80 pitches in three innings of work, giving up seven runs while collecting three strike outs. Tyson Belitz and Migulino added two strikeouts each in 3 and 2/3 inning of combined relief before Arehart entered for the final out in the top of the seventh, getting Atkinson's Blake Hilkemeier to ground out, stranding one runner.