Moo drop first game to Western Nebraska 9-4
Gering, Neb. – First-half Clark Division Champion Western Nebraska scored two runs in the first three batters faced and never looked back on its way to a 9-4 win over the Moo Tuesday to open their three-game series.
Western Nebraska (39-20 overall/16-12 second half) jumped on the Moo in the first. Eric Smelko swung at the first pitch and lined a single to center. Cade McGee followed with a triple to the wall in center, scoring Smelko. A single to left by Alex Zerfass scored McGee and built the Pioneers’ lead to 2-0.
In the bottom of the second, Western Nebraska tacked on another run. Kelen Rutz reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second, and scored on Smelko’s single to left to make it 3-0.
Fremont (39-21/19-10) broke the shutout in the top of the fifth, as Jack Simonsen led off the inning by hammering a 1-0 pitch over the right field fence for his third home run of the year, cutting the Moo deficit to 3-1. The Pioneers tallied three in the sixth to push the lead to 6-1.

In the top of the seventh, Austin Baskin reached with a one-out walk. Trey Nichols followed with a walk, putting two on for Peyton Leeper, who lined a single to center to score Baskin and pull the Moo to within four. Three runs by the Pioneers in the bottom of the eighth put the game out of reach. Fremont did have a highlight in the top of the ninth, as Dillon Sears cracked a two-run home run to right to cut the deficit to five.
Chase Reynolds (1-3) took the loss, allowing five earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched. Simonsen paced the Moo offense by going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI.
The Moo and Pioneers will continue their three-game series in Gering Wednesday night at 7:35 pm. The game can be heard on FremontMoo.com and Big Dog 98.9 FM and 1340 AM.




