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Leading up to the sectional opener against Rensselaer Central, the Western Boone baseball team worked a lot on their hitting approach.
That paid off in a big way on Thursday night, when clutch 2-run double from Layton Yancey in the bottom of the sixth gave the Stars the lead for good in a 4-2 win over the Bombers.
"He's a senior and I texted him today and told him we really needed up to lead from the front tonight," Western Boone head coach Michael Nance said. "He really stepped up to the challenge. He barreled that ball and I couldn't be more proud of him and the rest of the guys."
WeBo starter Levi Stewart cruised through the first five innings, but ran into some trouble in the top of the sixth.
He walked the lead off hitter, and after a sacrifice bunts, hit the next two batters to load the bases.
He got a grounder to force the runner at home, but then hit another batter on a 1-2 pitch to tie the game at 1. A balk was then called before the next pitch, giving the Bombers a 2-1 lead.
But rather than hang their heads, WeBo went back to work.
Jack Mallory led off the bottom half of the innings with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Cale Scagnoli.
Quinn Westerfeld tied the game at 2 with a single and, after he stole second, the Bombers intentionally walked Easton Nance to get to Yancey.
Yancey lined the 0-1 pitch to deep left, driving in Westerfeld and Nance.
"We worked really hard the last week on our hitting approach," coach Nance said. "We only struck out once tonight. We completely changed out approach and it showed all night. I couldn't be more happy with our pitching and defense, but I really think it was our approaches at the plate that made the difference. Evern when balls didn't fall in, we were giving ourselves a chance."
Easton Nance finished off the game from there. After finishing out the sixth, he needed just seven pitches to get through the seventh, including striking out the last two batters on six total pitches.
It hasn't been the year the younger Nance has wanted on the mound, but when the team needed him, he stepped up.
"I couldn't be happier or more proud of him," coach Nance said. "That kid loves to pitch, and he works hard at it. It has not gone his way this year, but when we go to him in the biggest moment, he steps up and just absolutely slams the door."
Nance and Stewart combined on a no-hitter in the game.
Stewart struck out six in 5.2 innings, allowing just two walks until that stretch in the sixth.
"He's been pitching like that all year for us," Nance said. "He was throwing strikes, getting ahead of batters and mixing up his pitches well. He's was really hitting his spots. He got a little erratic at the very end, but will clean that up."
Nance was 2-for-3 in the game with a double.
Cale Scagnoli was 1-for-2 with a double, with Westerfeld, Yancey, Owen Howe, Beau Sawyer and Mallory also picking up hits for WeBo.
The Stars are back in action Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Lafayette Central Catholic.
"We just have to continue to have our good approaches at the plate," Nance said. "We are going to have Quinn Westerfeld on the mound, and I feel with him on the mound and play a little defense we can play with anybody."
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That paid off in a big way on Thursday night, when clutch 2-run double from Layton Yancey in the bottom of the sixth gave the Stars the lead for good in a 4-2 win over the Bombers.
"He's a senior and I texted him today and told him we really needed up to lead from the front tonight," Western Boone head coach Michael Nance said. "He really stepped up to the challenge. He barreled that ball and I couldn't be more proud of him and the rest of the guys."
WeBo starter Levi Stewart cruised through the first five innings, but ran into some trouble in the top of the sixth.
He walked the lead off hitter, and after a sacrifice bunts, hit the next two batters to load the bases.
He got a grounder to force the runner at home, but then hit another batter on a 1-2 pitch to tie the game at 1. A balk was then called before the next pitch, giving the Bombers a 2-1 lead.
But rather than hang their heads, WeBo went back to work.
Jack Mallory led off the bottom half of the innings with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Cale Scagnoli.
Quinn Westerfeld tied the game at 2 with a single and, after he stole second, the Bombers intentionally walked Easton Nance to get to Yancey.
Yancey lined the 0-1 pitch to deep left, driving in Westerfeld and Nance.
"We worked really hard the last week on our hitting approach," coach Nance said. "We only struck out once tonight. We completely changed out approach and it showed all night. I couldn't be more happy with our pitching and defense, but I really think it was our approaches at the plate that made the difference. Evern when balls didn't fall in, we were giving ourselves a chance."
Easton Nance finished off the game from there. After finishing out the sixth, he needed just seven pitches to get through the seventh, including striking out the last two batters on six total pitches.
It hasn't been the year the younger Nance has wanted on the mound, but when the team needed him, he stepped up.
"I couldn't be happier or more proud of him," coach Nance said. "That kid loves to pitch, and he works hard at it. It has not gone his way this year, but when we go to him in the biggest moment, he steps up and just absolutely slams the door."
Nance and Stewart combined on a no-hitter in the game.
Stewart struck out six in 5.2 innings, allowing just two walks until that stretch in the sixth.
"He's been pitching like that all year for us," Nance said. "He was throwing strikes, getting ahead of batters and mixing up his pitches well. He's was really hitting his spots. He got a little erratic at the very end, but will clean that up."
Nance was 2-for-3 in the game with a double.
Cale Scagnoli was 1-for-2 with a double, with Westerfeld, Yancey, Owen Howe, Beau Sawyer and Mallory also picking up hits for WeBo.
The Stars are back in action Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Lafayette Central Catholic.
"We just have to continue to have our good approaches at the plate," Nance said. "We are going to have Quinn Westerfeld on the mound, and I feel with him on the mound and play a little defense we can play with anybody."
Continue reading...
