Spuds-9, Moo- 8

Casper (R-H-E): 9-17-1; Fremont (R-H-E): 8-11-0

Win: Bobby Simmons (3-0); Loss: Trey Nichols (5-1); Save: Jaxson Bates (1)

HR: Fremont: None; HR Casper: Jaxson Bates (2); (1st, one on base in sixth inning; 2nd, zero on base in eighth inning)

Fremont, Nebraska- The Casper Spuds staved off elimination and held off the Fremont Moo, 9-8, in Game 4 of the Independence League Baseball Championship series, Saturday afternoon at Historic Moller Field. Due to impending weather, Saturday's game was moved up to a 3:05pm start.

The Spuds struck first for the first time in the series putting together four runs in the top of the second. Matthew Marsic doubled to begin the inning against Moo starter Trey Nichols. Lucas Danielewicz walked to put runners at first and second. Chandler Stocking singled, driving in Marsic to make it 1-0. Jaxson Bates singled, bringing in Lucas Danielewicz to make it 2-0. An RBI groundout by Parker Burt scored Stocking to make it 3-0. Two batters later Dawson Baraconi hit an RBI single, plating Jaxson Bates, to put Casper up 4-0.

In the bottom of the second, Henry Hayman doubled. After a Connor Petersen groundout, advancing Hayman to third, Jayson Willers singled to right, scoring Hayman to make it 4-1.

Casper got a run back in the top of the third. With one out, Matthew Marsic singled, Lucas Danielewicz singled and Chandler Stocking singled, driving in Marsic, to make it 5-1.

Fremont plated a run in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Connor Petersen singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Then, Jayson Willers singled, scoring Petersen to make it 5-2. 

Casper pushed the lead out to their largest cushion in the sixth. Chandler Stocking led off with a single and Jaxson Bates hit a Nichols 1-2 pitch over the left field fence to put The Spuds ahead, 7-2.

The Moo chipped away in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Henry Hayman walked, then Connor Petersen hit a liner to Chandler Stocking at second but it bounced off his glove into center field. The error put runners at the corners. Then, Jayson Willers hit an RBI double, scoring Hayman, to make it 7-3.

Fremont put together its biggest inning in the bottom of the seventh, sending eight batters to the plate. Hunter Palmer led off with a double, then Christian Hobbs singled, scoring Palmer, to make it 7-4. Hobbs stole second and three batters later Tyler Harrington drew a walk. Casper went to its third pitcher Danner Hamberg. He walked Henry Hayman to put runners at first and second. Then, Connor Petersen hit a two-RBI single, scoring Hobbs and Harrington to make it 7-6. The Spuds brought in Jaxson Bates to relieve and he struck out Jayson Willers looking at a 1-2 pitch to end the inning.

Casper scored a pair of valuable runs in the top of the eighth. Off Fremont reliever Carson Jasa, Jaxson Bates hit a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall, for his second home run of the game, to make it 8-6. Parker Burt doubled, then Elijah Reeves singled to put runners at the corners. Then, Jasa committed a balk, scoring Burt to make it a 9-6 Casper lead.

After neither team scored in the bottom of the eighth and the top of the ninth, Fremont tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth. Tyman Long led off with a single. Then, Tyler Harrington flew out to right field for the first out. The next batter, Henry Hayman grounded to second, forcing out Long for out number two, with Hayman beating out a double play attempt to extend the game. Connor Petersen singled along the infield to put runners at first and second. Then, Jayson Willers hit a high fly ball to left center that hit the corner of the "Moller Monster", staying in the ballpark, missing a game tying home run by a foot, scoring Hayman and Petersen to make it 9-8. Easton Steck pinch ran for Willers at second. Blake Tablazon pushed the next at bat to a 3-2 count and hit a bouncing ball past the first baseman, Lucas Danielewicz who tried to back hand the ball, moving to his right, However, second baseman Chandler Stocking, moving to his left, fielded the bouncer and threw to Jaxson Bates, covering at first to retire Tablazon by a foot to end the game.

Casper starter Bobby Simmons (3-0) earned the win. He pitched 5.2 innings, giving up five hits, three unearned runs, walked three, struck out three and had one wild pitch. Cooper Hack pitched 1.0 inning, giving up two hits, three runs, walked one and struck out one. Danner Hamberg faced two batters, giving up one hit and one walk. Jaxson Bates (1) earned the save. He pitched 2.1 innings, giving up three hits, two runs and struck out two.

Fremont starter Trey Nichols (5-1) took the loss. The Bowling Green, Missouri native at Midland University pitched 5.0 innings, giving up eleven hits, seven runs, two walks, struck out three and gave up the sixth inning home run to Jaxson Bates. Carson Jasa pitched 3.1 innings. The Arvada, Colorado native headed to the University of Nebraska gave up five hits, two runs, walked two, struck out three, yielded the eighth inning home run to Bates, and committed a balk. Brandon Lundquist pitched 0.2 innings. The Omaha native from University of Nebraska gave up one hit and struck out two.

Offensively, Casper's Dawson Baraconi was 1-for-5 with an RBI. Matthew Marsic was 4-for-4. Lucas Danielewicz went 3-for-4. Chandler Stocking was 3-for-5 with two RBI's. Jaxson Bates was 3-for-5 with two home runs and four runs batted in. Parker Burt was 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Fremont's Christian Hobbs was 1-for-3. The Omaha native at Black Hawk Community College drove in one run. Connor Petersen was 3-for-5. The Tucson, Arizona native at Midland University drove in two runs. Jayson Willers went 4-for-5. The Davenport, Iowa native at Morningside University drove in five runs.

More Information: With the Casper win, The Spuds have forced a decisive game five, Sunday afternoon. In seven meetings this year, Casper leads the series over the Moo, 4-3. Fremont will try to earn its second league championship in franchise history, while Casper will try to claim its first in year one of the Spuds franchise in Casper.

Up Next: Fremont (33-23) will play Casper (34-24) in the winner-take-all Championship Game, Sunday afternoon. First pitch at Historic Moller Field is 5:05pm. For tickets, go to: www.fremontmoo.com/tickets or call (402)-660-1217 for more information.

 On The Air: All Moo home and road games are broadcast on radio on Big Dog Country, 98.9 FM and 1340 AM, KHUB. Games can also be heard on smartphones, iPads, and other mobile devices by going to www.fremontmoo.com/mixlr. All Moo home games have video streaming live at: www.fremontmoo.com and on YouTube at: BSDN Live.