Kirt Manion
kmanion@cherryroad.com

Reese Grotrian’s two-out grand slam home run put Nebraska City in position to top Ralston, 12-9, in home opening action on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

The Pioneers were down early in the game, 2-0, when Hanna Marth smashed a two-run home run that tied the game and sparked the Pioneers to post five runs in the frame for a 5-2 lead.

Ralston battled back by posting runs each of the next four frames and led 9-7 with action going to the bottom of the sixth inning.

Outs on two of the first three at bats of the bottom of the sixth frame had Ralston in control of the action. Lextyn Harker led off with a single, but Ralston got a line out and a pop out to get within one out of ending the frame. Halle Nickels hit a double and Hanna Marth was intentionally walked to load the bases. After an Ella Gerdes RBI single made it 9-8 in favor of Ralston, Grotrian stepped to the plate for her grand slam.

Rylie Beethe hit a single following the grand slam and Ralston finally escaped the inning with a strikeout, but the Pioneers were three outs away from a win.

Kolbi Davis, pitching in relief of the starter, Lextyn Harker, closed out the game in the circle for Nebraska City with a ground out and a strikeout before working around a two-out walk with a strikeout that ended the contest.

Nebraska City finished with 12 hits in the game, with six of those being for extra bases and three being for home runs.

Ella Gerdes went 3-for-3 with a double. Halle Nickels had a single and a double while Kolbi Davis had a double.

Rylie Beethe had two hits, one of them being a home run. Hanna Marth and Reese Grotrian had home runs.

Lextyn Harker had two singles.

Pitching the game were Lextyn Harker and Kolbi Davis. Harker pitched 4.2 frames, struck out four, walked six, and allowed eight runs, seven earned, on eight hits. Davis worked 2.1 frames, struck out three, walked one and allowed one earned run on three hits.