The Charger baseball team split its conference opener Friday against the Hastings Broncos in Hastings, Nebraska. The Chargers dropped a narrow 4-3 game-one decision before responding with an 11-5 victory in game two.
Game 1 – L, 4-3 (7 innings)
The Broncos plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early lead.
In the top of the third, the Chargers threatened after a leadoff walk by Greyson Kay followed by a double to center field from Cael Walrod put runners on second and third with no outs. Hastings stranded the runners after recording three consecutive strikeouts.
In the top of the fourth, singles from Damon Schmid and Jake Christianson put runners on first and third with one out. Grant Devescery delivered an RBI single to left field to score the Chargers' first run of the game.
Trailing by three entering the final inning, Kay reached on an infield single with one out. Nico Sall followed with a double to right field and advanced to third, allowing Kay to score and cut the deficit to two. Cade Marquardt then tripled to the gap in center field to bring Sall home and trim the lead to one. Hastings recorded the final out to halt the Charger comeback.
Nick Hays started on the mound and tossed six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out three.
Game 2 – W, 11-5 (9 innings)
Sall led the Charger offense in game two, going 2-for-2 with a home run, five RBIs, three runs scored and a walk. Christianson went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
In the top of the first inning, Devescery's RBI single gave Briar Cliff the early lead. The Chargers added another run in the second on a sacrifice fly from Sall.
The Chargers broke the game open in the fifth inning, scoring four runs to take a 6-3 lead, capped by a sacrifice fly from Marquardt.
Briar Cliff added two more runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by an RBI single from Brody Nardini.
Sall capped the scoring in the eighth inning with a three-run home run over the right-field fence to extend the lead to 11-3.
Brendan Ward earned the win on the mound, tossing seven innings while allowing three runs on four hits and striking out five. Zach LaMont pitched the final two innings in relief and recorded four strikeouts.
The Chargers move to 8-13 (1-1 GPAC). Briar Cliff will complete the four-game series against Hastings on Saturday in Hastings, Nebraska. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 12 p.m.
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