Moo- 12, Badlands- 11

Fremont (R-H-E): 12-10-0; Badlands (R-H-E): 11-4-2

Win: Tyson Romero (2-0); Loss: Vinny Mauro (0-2); Save: None

HR: Fremont: None; HR: Badlands: None

Fremont, Nebraska- The Fremont Moo jumped out to a seven run lead and had to hold on to defeat the Badlands Big Sticks, 12-11, Friday night at Historic Moller Field. In a winner-take-all best-of-three series to determine the Independence League Baseball Association's First Half Champion, Fremont moved into sole possession of first place and can clinch the first half outright with a win over Badlands on either Saturday or Sunday.

Fremont started the scoring in the bottom of the first. Christian Hobbs led off with a single. Two batters later, Tyman Long was hit by a pitch, then both runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch from Badlands starter Vinnie Mauro. After an Andrew Kirchener flyout, Ben Swails reached on an infield single, scoring Hobbs, to make it 1-0.

The Moo added two more runs in the second. With one out, Henry Hayman singled and Blake Tablazon drew a walk before Hobbs singled to left. An errant throw by left fielder Danny Rogers allowed Hayman to score. Neil Jansen then grounded out to shortstop, scoring Tablazon to make it 3-0.

Badlands got on the board in the top of the fourth. With one out, Brant Kragel singled, then advanced to second on a Tyson Romero balk. After Carson Carey singled to put runners at the corners, Rogers grounded to second, scoring Kragel, to make it 3-1, the Moo.

Fremont plated four more runs in the fourth. Moo newcomer Jayson Willers, a Davenport, Iowa native at Morningside University, was hit by a pitch and Hayman singled, to put the Moo in motion. Two batters later, Hobbs walked to load the bases. Then, Neil Jansen delivered a two-rbi single, scoring Willers and Hayman. Jansen would steal second before Long delivered a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Hobbs. The throw went to third but bounced away, allowing Jansen to score, making it 7-1, Fremont.

The Moo added a run in the sixth. Hayman led off with a single and stole second. Two batters later, Hobbs brought home Hayman with a rbi single, to make it 8-1. After six innings, the Moo looked like they would cruise to an easy victory, however, the Big Sticks made things too close for comfort for Fremont fans.

Badlands plated two runs in the seventh. Rogers and Royce Vandine both drew walks off Fremont reliever Carson Jasa. Two batters later, Cooper Hill did the same, to load up the bases for Marques Albulhosn, who also drew a walk, to bring home Rogers. Fremont went to the bullpen and brought in Jagger Edwards. After a strikeout, Edwards walked Quade Peters, bringing home Vandine, to make it 8-3.

In the eighth, the Big Sticks added two more runs. Carson Carey led off with a walk. Two batters later, Vandine was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Then, Alex Urlaub delivered a two-rbi single, sconing Carey and Vandine, to make it 8-5.

Fremont would put its most productive offensive inning together in the bottom of the eighth. The Moo sent nine batters to the plate, scoring four runs. Hobbs, Jansen, Long and Kirchener all drew walks, with one out, to make it 9-5. The Big Sticks brought in Austin Sheldon, who walked Swails, to make it 10-5, and gave up a two-rbi single to Josh Blount, scoring Long and Kirchener, to make it 12-5.

The Big Sticks pushed the Moo to the limit in the top of the ninth, sending ten batters to the plate. Peters led off with a walk, then pinch-hitters Preston Jones and Cam Credeur drew walks, chasing Moo reliever Jacob Ortiz from the game. Darius Blasingane came in to close it out, but it wasn't easy. Pinch-hitter Joe Osborn drew a walk, scoring Peters. Pinch-hitter Isaac Huettl hit a two-rbi single, scoring Jones and Credeur, to make it 12-8. Pinch-hitter Balas Buckmaster drew a walk. Next, pinch-hitter Troy Berg dribbled back to Blasingane, who tagged Berg for the first out, allowing Osborn to score, making it 12-9. Blasingane got pinch-hitter Kobe Krenz to strike out swinging, but a passed ball by Long advanced Krenz to first and Huettl scored, making it 12-10. Another passed ball allowed Buckmaster to score, making it 12-11, with the game tying run at second. However, Blasingane got Matthew Lewis to fly out to center, for the second out, then, struck out Peters, swinging on a 1-2 pitch, to end the game.

Fremont starter Tyson Romero (2-0), a Lincoln native, at Nebraska Wesleyan, pitched five innings, giving up two hits, one run, walked one, struck out eight and committed one balk. Carson Jasa, an Arvada, Colorado native, headed to the University of Nebraska, pitched 1.1 innings, giving up two runs, walked five and struck out two. Jagger Edwards, a San Antonio, Texas native, at Columbia University, pitched one inning, giving up one hit, two runs, walked three, struck out two, had one wild pitch and hit one batter. Jacob Ortiz, a Tucson, Arizona native at Cerro Coso Community College pitched 0.2 innings, In his 2023 Moo debut, he gave up three runs, walked three and had two wild pitches. Darius Blasingane, the St. Petersburg, Florida native at Edward Waters University, pitched 1.0 inning, giving up one hit, three runs, two walks, and struck out two.

Badlands starter Vinny Mauro (0-1) pitched four innings, giving up six hits, two earned runs, two walks, struck out four, had one wild pitch and hit two batters. Braxton Greenburg pitched 2.0 innings, giving up three hits, one run, walked one and struck out three. Christian Casilla pitched 1.1 innings, giving up four runs, walked four, struck out two and hit one batter. Austin Sheldon pitched 0.2 innings, giving up one hit and walked one.

Offensively, Fremont's Christian Hobbs, the Omaha native, at Black Hawk Community College, was 3-for-3 with a rbi. Neil Jansen, the Cypress, California native at San Jose State, was 1-for-3 with three rbi's. Ben Swails, the Tiffin, Iowa native at the University of Iowa, was 1-for-4 with two rbi's. Josh Blount, the Omaha native at Iowa Western Community College, was 1-for-5 with two rbi's. Henry Hayman, the Melbourne, Australia native at Barton County Community College, was 3-for-5.

The Big Sticks' Isaac Huettl was 1-for-1 with two rbi's. Alex Urlaub was 1-for-4 with two rbi's, and Troy Berg knocked in a run, as well.

Up Next: Fremont (16-6) will host Badlands (16-8), Saturday night. First pitch at Historic Moller Field is 7:05pm. Saturday is "Salute to Service" night. The Moo will honor veteran, active, or reserve military members. Also, free admission will be granted to all service members with a valid military ID. For more information and tickets, go to www.fremontmoo.com/tickets, or call (402)- 660-1217.

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 be heard on smartphones, iPads, and other mobile devices via the Moo website:  www.fremontmoo.com/mixlr. All Moo home games stream live video at www.fremontmoo.com and on YouTube at: BSDN Live.