PAPILLION – The Kearney Bearcat baseball team pulled off a top-notch upset to give retiring head coach Brad Archer one more chance at a district title, ultimately falling short in the A-6 District Tournament at Papillion-LaVista South ending as district runner-up.
GAME 1: A-6 DISTRICT SEMIFINAL v. BELLEVUE WEST:
The Bearcats took down No. 2 seeded Bellevue West at Papillion-LaVista South in the A-6 District semifinals winning 9-4. The Bearcats trailed early, but rallied to then take down the Thunderbirds with big hits and key errors from Bellevue West. After Kearney took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second, Bellevue West scored two runs leading 2-1.
KHS Baseball v. BW
The Bearcats then took the lead in the third inning and never looked back, scoring three runs off a Griffin Novacek blast to right field as he smashed a three-run homer.
Bryce Andersen earned the win on the mound going all seven innings, closing with ten strikeouts. Kole Throckmorton went three-for-three at the plate leading the Bearcats in hits.
Kearney entered the A-6 District Title after scoring nine runs on nine hits with no errors while Bellevue West had four runs on five hits with two errors.
GAME 2: A-6 DISTRICT TITLE v. PAPILLION-LaVISTA SOUTH:
KHS Baseball v. PLVS
Kearney fell 5-2 in the District Title matchup at Papillion-LaVista South, ending their district run and wrapping up their season.
The Bearcats were unable to get their offense started, as Papio-South took control in the second inning after an error in the outfield of Kearney allowed two runs to cross for the Titans. Papillion-LaVista South added another run in the third, scoring off of Brice Wallar single. Kearney would add their only runs in the contest in the third.
KHS Baseball v. PLVS
The final chance for Kearney came in a bases loaded opportunity in the bottom of the fifth as Wallar was replaced with the bullpen ace Danny Wallace, as Wallace delivered a double play chance for Johnny Valinch as Papio-South allowed no runs in the inning.
Aidan Poppe fielded the loss for Kearney, lasting three and a third innings allowing four hits and three runs with two strikeouts. Karter Lee had two hits in four at bats.
The Bearcats end their season at 14-14 overall, wrapping with two runs on four hits and two errors. The Titans had five runs scored off of seven hits and two errors.
KHS Baseball v. PLVS
