Pinnacle Bank Horns add wins to season totals

The Pinnacle Bank Junior Horns picked up wins last week over Gothenburg, Ogallala and Lexington, but their Senior counterparts went 1-2 in their matchups.
The juniors’ slate of games began at Gothenburg May 30.
Up to bat first, the Horns wasted no time bringing a run across the plate with the help of two singles and a walk. Gothenburg was able to advance a runner to third in the bottom of the first inning, but as with the rest of the game, the Melons couldn’t bring anyone home.
The bottom of the order went to work for Imperial in the second inning. The Horns got two on and the top of the order brought both home.
A single and three Melons’ errors added another run to Imperial’s total in the fourth inning.
The Horns rallied on two outs in the sixth to add a run and wrapped up the 6-0 win with another run in the seventh.
Imperial only walked twice in the game and struck out eight times, but had nine hits to go with seven errors by Gothenburg.
On the mound, Tristan Jablonski, Camron Lempke and Noah Rau combined to strike out eight, walk five and give up three hits.
The juniors continued their winning ways with a 7-2 win at home over Ogallala last Thursday.
Ogallala’s leadoff hitter advanced to third to start the game, but then Imperial got 10 straight outs to keep Ogallala off the scoreboard.
The Horns also got their first batter of the game on base and to third, but Imperial was able to score the run on a single.
Imperial’s bats got going in the fourth, including a sac fly by Gavin Wisnieski to score a run.
The Horns took control of the game with five runs in the fifth. Imperial’s runners reached base with two hit by pitches and one walk, then got their bats going to bring runners home.
Ogallala heated up in the sixth, scoring two runs but leaving runners on second and third to wrap up scoring in the game.
Rau pitched four innings and Conner Stromberger three. Each struck out five batters. Rau allowed one hit. Stromberger walked two and gave up five hits.
    The Horns ran roughshod over Lexington on Sunday.
    Defensively, Imperial held Lex scoreless in the first and second innings. After giving up one run in the third inning off the Horns’ only error in the game, Imperial kept Lex away from home plate for the final two innings.
    Offensively, the Horns kept scorekeepers busy with nine runs in the first inning. Imperial’s first seven batters scored and the bases were loaded when Lex got the inning’s final out.
    Imperial brought home three more runs in the second inning as Lexington’s pitcher and defense struggled.
    With the its leadoff batters in the third and fourth innings coming around to score, Imperial claimed a 14-1 win.
    Fifteen Imperial players saw action in the game. Camron Lempke and Destry Oxford struck out eight, walked one and gave up five hits.
Seniors beat Lex
The Seniors lost their first two games of the week to Gothenburg and Ogallala before getting a win over Lexington.
The week started with a 1-2 loss at Gothenburg.
Head Coach Bruce Peterson said starting pitcher Cooper Dillan was dealin’ over the game’s first seven innings.
Dillan only allowed one run while striking out eight and walking six before Colin O’Neil came on in relief.
After Imperial stranded two runners in the first inning, Gothenburg took advantage of two errors to get a runner on base and to third. Dillan’s only wild pitch of the game allowed that runner to score.
The Horns stranded one in the second inning before sitting the Melons down in order, then tied the game up in the third. Tysen Lempke led off the third inning with a double and scored on a single by Jaret Peterson, but Imperial stranded two runners in the inning.
Neither team was able to muster a run through the seventh inning and the trend continued for Imperial into the eighth. Gothenburg broke the tie with some small ball in the eighth, scoring on an RBI bunt and a Horns’ error to win the game.
Imperial out hit Gothenburg 6-1 and each team had three errors.
The Horns’ slide continued in Thursday’s game against Ogallala, a 0-15 loss.
Ogallala’s batters lit Imperial up for 13 hits to only two for the Horns.
Imperial trailed 0-6 heading into the seventh inning and gave up nine runs in the top of the seventh.
Jaret Peterson and Mason Wallin combined to walk nine and strike out nine.
Imperial batters walked nine times but had 16 strikeouts.
The Horns got back in the win column with a 9-6 win over Lexington Sunday.
Lex grabbed an early lead with a two-run homerun in the top of the first. As the visitors’ pitching struggled in the bottom of the inning, Imperial was able to plate three runs.
Undeterred, Lexington used a Horns’ error to score one and set up a second run.
Imperial took the lead for good in the fourth inning, scoring two runs on a single by Thomas Reeves with two down.
Lex stranded seven runners across the middle innings, including squandering bases loaded in the fifth.
The Horns scored twice in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings. Imperial had four singles in the fifth and had a homerun from T. Lempke, a single by Reeves and a double by Peterson in the sixth to ensure the win.
Lex had three straight singles and scored two in the top of the seventh, but the Horns closed out the game without needing to bat in the seventh.
Peterson went 3-4 at the plate and Lempke was 2-3 with a walk and three runs.
Dillan worked five innings, striking out seven, walking four and allowing four hits. O’Neil came on in relief and gave up three hits, three walks and two strikeouts.
Up next
The Horns hosted McCook Tuesday.
Wednesday the juniors’ B team played a double header at Ogallala.
The juniors will spend the weekend at the Broken Bow Junior Tournament with games Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The juniors will also host a double header with Cambridge on Tuesday.
The seniors’ next game will be Thursday when they travel to Sutherland for a junior/senior doubleheader.