RCHS baseball captures runner-up state finish

Crimson Pride baseball team shines at state tournament

The Crimson Pride baseball team went into the first ever Class C state baseball tournament with a record of 10-10 and as the seventh seed.

A week later they found themselves playing in the Class C state championship game against the Malcolm Clippers.

Unfortunately, the Pride were unable to solve Malcolm starter Maddox Meyer and fell by a score of 3-1 on May 19.

Meyer went the distance allowing just two hits and striking out 10 and the Clippers were able to bring an end to the Pride’s Cinderella state tournament run.

The season, like the March and April weather got off to a cold start for the Pride.

The team dropped to 3-6 after a lopsided 13-3 road loss in Wahoo on March 4.

The Pride won five out of their next six games, which included a convincing 12-2 win over Westview in the Bennington Baseball

Classic on April 22.

After a pair of one-run losses to Concordia/ Brownell Talbot/OCA and Bennington, the Pride went into the Class C-5 District Tournament in Springfield with a record of 8-10.

The Pride got great pitching from Jackson Urban and Noah Brisbin in wins over Fort Calhoun and Platteview and a 2-1 win over the Trojans punched the Pride’s state ticket.

The Pride opened the state tournament against the second seeded Plattsmouth Devils on May 13. Urban spun a one-hitter and allowed just five baserunners in the Pride’s 7-0 tourney win. Wyatt Yetter, Cam Rohlfsen and Abel Jimenez-Escobar paced the offense with two hits apiece.

The next game for the Pride came against the third-seeded Central City/ Fullerton/Centura Kernels on May 15. Rohlfsen stayed hot and led the team with three hits, including a double. The Pride offense pounded out 11 hits in the 10-4 victory. cont. on page 5

Charlie Fehringer came on in the third inning and pitched well, working the final four-andtwo-thirds allowing just two hits and no runs.

The Pride lost to Wayne 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon forcing an elimination game with the Devils on Wednesday evening at Westside High School.

The Devils took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first inning and led 4-2 going into the top of the seventh inning.

The Pride showed their resilience and pushed across three runs to take a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning.

Reliever Patrick Truscott got the final three outs and the Pride celebrated the win and the opportunity to play for the first ever Class C State Championship.

Although the title game didn’t end with a state championship for the Pride, Coach Jake Hoover was proud of his squad.

“What a journey this team took us on,” Hoover said. “Time and time again they stayed together and showed they were never out of the fight. I’m thankful for our seniors who led the way and showed the younger guys what it takes to be great.”