Jr. Hornets Win Three Of Four
By Brent Huelsmann
The Nashville Middle School Jr. Hornets have won three of their last four games as they defeated Pinckneyville, Wesclin, and Chester, but dropped a contest to Trico. The Jr. Hornets game on August 17 against Murphysboro was rained out. Nashville’s record stands at 8-2 on the season.
On August 15, the Jr. Hornets suffered their second loss of the season, as they fell to Trico 7-3. Nashville got on the board in the top of the first, as Ian Blazier singled with two outs, moved to second on a wild pitch, and came across the plate on a single by Michael Combs.
Trico took the lead in the second with two runs, and added another run in the third to take a 3-1 advantage. Nashville would cut into the lead in the fifth when Combs scored on a throwing error, but Trico would come back with two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Nashville scored their final run of the game after Nolan Heggemeier singled to lead off the seventh and came around to score on an error.
Nashville was back in action on August 21, as they defeated Pinckneyville 11-0 in just six innings. Nashville got the scoring started in the first inning when Trey Reinburg scored on a RBI from Combs. The Jr. Hornets added another run in the second when Aaron Brink singled and scored on an error.
Nashville made the score 3-0 in the fifth, when Radyn Schwartzkopf walked, stole second, was moved over to third on a groundout, and was driven in on a groundout by Heggemeier. The Jr. Hornets broke the game open with eight runs in the sixth. Lucas Knepp, Schwartzkopf, Reinburg, Ian Blazier, Combs, Kolten Gajewski, Kaden Gajewski, and Heggemeier all drove in runs in the sixth inning.
Blazier, Kolten Gajewski, and Knepp each finished with two hits in the win. Heggemeier went the distance on the mound, as he gave up just one hit in the game, and struck out four batters.
On August 23, the Jr. Hornets traveled to take on Wesclin. Nashville picked up their second straight win defeating Wesclin 5-3. Wesclin took an early advantage, as they got a run in the bottom of the first. The Jr. Hornets tied the game in the third, when Kaden Gajewski walked with the bases loaded to score Heggemeier.
Nashville took the lead in the fourth, when Schwartzkopf doubled and later scored on a groundout by Heggemeier. Wesclin would tie the game in the bottom half of the inning, but Nashville took the lead for good in the fifth. Combs was hit by a pitch leading off the fifth, followed by a single by Kolten Gajewski. Kaden Gajewski drove in a run with a single, and Brink drove in another with a groundout.
Nashville scored their final run of the game in the sixth when Kolten Gajewski drove in Heggemeier who had reached on an error earlier in the inning. Wesclin scored the final run of the game in the sixth, to make the score 5-3.
Kolten Gajewski allowed one run in three innings to get the win. Combs, Blazier, and Reinburg finished out the game on the mound.
On August 24, the Jr. Hornets defeated Chester 13-3 in five innings. Nashville got off to a fast start with five runs in the first, with the big hit being a two-run double by Kaden Gajewski. Nashville scored another in the second when Combs drove in Blazier.
The Jr. Hornets added to their lead in the third, when two runs scored on RBI groundouts by Schwartzkopf and Reinburg. Nashville would take a commanding 13-0 lead, by scoring five runs in the fourth inning. Kolten Gajewski, Aidan Heiman, and Bennett Briles all had RBIs in the frame. Brink got the win on the mound, as he pitched three innings in the game. Briles, Bryson McCleary and Carson Cook finished up the game on the mound.
