Moo lose in heartbreaker to Hastings 3-2
Hastings, Neb. – The Fremont Moo fell in a heartbreaker to the Hastings Sodbusters, 3-2 in 11 innings.
The Sodbusters won the game in the bottom of the 11th. Cole Dawson was placed on second base to start the inning. After an Ommar Jackson sacrifice bunt moved Dawson to third, an intentional walk to Trevor Mattson placed runners at first and third with one out. Matt Halbach singled through the left side, scoring Dawson to tie the game. After JT Cafferty singled to left, an intentional walk to Luke Solis loaded the bases before Nick Carlson singled through the right side to score Halbach and give the Sodbusters the victory.
Hastings took the lead in the bottom of the second. Matt Halbach led off the inning with a single to left. JT Cafferty followed with an RBI double to left, scoring Halbach to give the Sodbusters a 1-0 lead.
Fremont squandered a scoring chance in the fourth. With one out, Luke White singled to left. Then with two outs, Darien Morphew singled to left. Trey Nichols worked back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk to load the bases. Peyton Leeper also fell 0-2 in his at bat, then worked the count to even at 2-2 in a nine-pitch battle, but ultimately grounded out to second to end the inning and leave the bases loaded.
Terrific clutch pitching by Nolan Meredith kept the game 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth. An error, an infield single and a walk loaded the bases with one out. But Meredith induced a fly out to right from Cole Dawson and a ground out to first base by Logan Johnstone to leave the bases loaded and the Moo within one.
Fremont tied the game in the seventh. Peyton Leeper was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. With one out, he stole second, then moved to third when Dillon Sears grounded out to first base. Tyler Push lined a 2-1 pitch into the gap in left-center field for a double, scoring Leeper to tie the game at 1-1.
The game moved into extra innings. The Moo left the bases loaded in the top of the tenth, while the Sodbusters stranded one in the bottom of the tenth.
Fremont edged ahead in the 11th. Derian Morphew was placed on second to begin the inning. He moved to third on Trey Nichols’ fly out to right, then scored on Peyton Leeper’s ground out to the shortstop.
The loss came despite a great pitching performance by Nolan Meredith, who allowed just one earned run in 6.2 innings pitched, and Chase Reynolds (1-2), who took the loss despite surrendering just one earned run in three innings of relief.
The Moo and Sodbusters continue their three-game series Tuesday at Duncan Field in Hastings at 6:35 pm. The game can be heard on FremontMoo.com.




