Irish Sweeps Neligh As Seniors Record First Loss Of Season

With a target on their back thanks to a 9-0 start, the Neligh Seniors dropped their first game of the season this week during a doubleheader at O'Neill. The Pinnacle Bank Irish topped Neligh 5-2. 

O'Neill took a 5-0 lead, forcing Neligh to play catchup. In the fifth inning, things started to roll for the Seniors as Cole Belitz crossed home plate to break onto the scoreboard. But Neligh stranded two more runners and only capitalized with one run. In the seventh inning, Tyson Belitz for the run. 

Justin Appleby threw 6 2/3 innings for the Irish before being pulled due to pitch-count rules.  Appleby gave up just two runs on the night, both of which were unearned and scattered six hits to the Neligh nine. 

“Neligh has a nice team this year and have some quality pitching.  Our two-out hits were the difference in this tight ballgame," said O'Neill coach Greg Appleby. "Justin did a nice job on the mound and really competed hard and had good location with his fastball and some pretty good breaking stuff.”

For the Irish offense,  Grady Semin delivered a great two-out double in the first and then later scored to give the Irish a 3-0 cushion after one inning of play.  The Irish plated two more runs in the fourth off of a bunt hit from Blake Krysl and then two-out hits again, this time from Tye Hilker and Appleby.  

Appleby and Krysl led the offensive effort with two hits each and other hits came from Alex Thramer, Grady Semin and Tye Hilker.  Francisco Perez earned the save by getting the final out of the game

In the Juniors game,  O'Neill edged Neligh 7-6, falling to 4-4 on the season. Hunter Charf and Conor Ramold each scored a pair of runs for Neligh, including a run in the squad's rally attempt in the seventh inning. Charf hit a single to right field to start the inning, and Ramold then advanced after being hit by a pitch. Hunter Reestman singled to left center to help Charf cross home plate. Kaleb Pofahl batted Ramold in to close the gap to just one run, but Pofahl was later called out to end the game. 

Seniors
Neligh 000 010 1- 2
O'Neill 300 200 x-5

Juniors
Neligh 101 112- 6
O'Neill 103 30x- 7