Juniors fall in championship game

    Imperial’s juniors were held scoreless in a 1-0 loss in the season-ending league championship game last week.
    Coming in as the west division winner at 14-3, Imperial faced Shelton-Gibbon, the east winner, in Shelton July 22 to determine the Mid-Nebraska League junior winner.
    It became a pitcher’s battle.
    Imperial gave up the only run of the game in the second inning when Shelton-Gibbon recorded all of the hits they tallied in the game, three singles, to score that run.
    Imperial pitcher Jaret Peterson went the distance, striking out eight, walking just one and giving up the three hits and run.
    Shelton-Gibbon’s pitcher Weismann struck out seven, walked three and gave up two hits. He also pitched the entire game.
    Imperial Coach Bruce Peterson said it was definitely a pitcher’s battle, and the game wrapped up in about an hour and 15 minutes.
    He said it was a great game, and both pitchers should be commended.
    Earning Imperial’s two hits in the game, both singles, were Tristan Hite and Morel Jurado.
    Imperial left six base runners stranded, while Shelton-Gibbon left three on the bags.
    Shelton-Gibbon defied its No. 5 seed in the east division tournament earlier when they defeated Kearney, Grand Island and Central City to advance to the league title game against Imperial.
    “I felt we did a great job against them,” Peterson said. “They were definitely a solid team.”
    With the loss, Imperial’s juniors ended the season at 14-4.
Coming up
While the season is over, Imperial baseball is looking forward to next year.
The younger juniors will be playing a game against the older pee wee boys.
“It’s just for fun,” Imperial 1 pee wee Coach Jeff Lempke said.
The game will start at 6 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at Campbell Park.