Moo conclude homestand with three-game set against Prospects
Josh Blount readies for a pitcher against Spearfish on June 9. (Photo by Mindy Wittig)
Fremont, NE - Coming off their biggest series win of the season against Casper, the Fremont Moo (9-5) host the Nebraska Prospects (3-6) for a three-game set to close out a 13-game homestand. Originally set to be a four-game set, the teams will instead play Wednesday through Friday after Tuesday’s contest got moved to July 10.
The Prospects, one of three traveling teams in Independence League Baseball, enter the series playing their best baseball of the year. After a disappointing 1-5 start, Nebraska won two of three before two straight off-days. The most impressive of those wins came last Friday, with an 11-8 victory over first-place Casper. Game two of that series was canceled due to rain, and the Spuds took game three 2-3.
With two series losses and two two-game splits, the Prospects enter the series with Fremont still searching for that first series win.
There’s been plenty of close games for Nebraska, who have been outscored by a combined four runs this season, despite being three games under .500. The offense has been paced by Blake Stenger (.485 BA in 9 GP) and Paul Schuyler (.400 in 4). While the team has gotten contact with the baseball, they’re yet to find a lot of power. Drew Borner has the lone homer.
On the mound, Kyler Hanson (3.82 ERA) and Carson Obrecht (5.23 ERA) both sport 1-0 records on the year, while the Prospects still search for their first save of the year.
For the Moo, they enter Wednesday’s climb riding the coattails of a two-game sweep of Casper where the pitching starred. Despite scoring just three runs in each game, Dylan Driessen, Justin Bowman, Alex Oliver, Robert O’Malley and Hayden Kelberlau combined to give up just one earned run in 18 innings pitched against Casper. In game one, Driessen (1-0) took the win in his Moo debut, while Robert O’Malley (2-0) went seven innings to take the game two win.
After the 3-2 win last night, the Moo now sit at 5-4 on the homestand. The biggest problems for Fremont came against the hard-hitting Spearfish Sasquatch, who took three of four from Fremont over the weekend.
While the pitching was excellent, the Moo were only able to produce six runs in two games against Casper off of 16 hits. The hitting leaderboard has remained similar, with Tyrus Petsche (.375 BA), Grant Nottleman (.368), Cooper Fuchino (.364), Miles Meadows (.333), Bridger Coleman (.314) and Trey Brooks (.312) still pacing the Moo.
Coleman grew his lead as RBI leader with a two-RBI single last night to bring his total to 11 on the year.
On the mound, O’Malley (0.64 ERA) became the first Moo pitcher to get a second win on the season. Kelberlau is 2-2 on save opportunities, while Oliver, Driessen and Theo Hughes are all yet to give up an earned run.
Last year, the Prospects took seven of eleven games against the Moo during the regular season.
First pitch Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be at 7:05 from Historic Moller Field. Wednesday is Winning Wednesday, Thursday is Thirsty Thursday and Friday is Fireworks Friday at the ballpark.



