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On Friday, June 30, Wagner’s Post 11 American Legion team traveled to Corsica to play against the Padres of Mt. Vernon-Plankinton- Corsica-Stickney.

Wagner got its offense going early as they plated three runs in the top of the first. Corbin Carda reached on an error and was then followed by singles from Ted Slaba, Javian Pesicka, Matt Link, and Carter Cournoyer.

MVPCS would answer back with two runs in the second inning. After this it was a backand- forth affair throughout the rest of the game as each team would add a run or two in every inning but one.

Wagner held a 9-7 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. With runners on second and third and two outs, a ground ball looked like it would end the game until it hit the second base bag and caromed off the shortstop and into right field allowing both runners to score.

Both teams were held scoreless in the 8th, the only inning in which neither team scored a run. Wagner added a run in the top of the 9th as Daniel Soukup scored on a wild pitch. Link would come out to start his fifth inning of work and walked the first batter and hit the second. Carter Cournoyer was then summoned, and he promptly retired the three hitters he faced inducing a popped up bunt (which catcher Keegan McAdaragh made a really nice play on) and striking out the final two to earn the well-deserved save.

Slaba started the game on the mound and went 3.1 innings. He gave up six runs, five of them earned, on seven hits while walking one, hitting one, and striking one out.

Link then came on and completed 4.2 innings. He allowed three runs, two of the earned variety, on one hit, six walks, two hit batsmen, while striking out three. Cournoyer then came on to retire all three men he faced.

Slaba, Pesicka, Link, and Carter Cournoyer would lead the way offensively as they each had multihit games. Pesicka collected three hits, scored twice, and knocked one run in. Slaba had two singles, scored twice, and had one RBI. Link and Cournoyer also had two hits with Link getting one RBI and Cournoyer, two. Frank Soukup singled and scored a run. Carlin Hopkins reached base four times on three walks and a hit by pitch and scored one run. Joey Cournoyer scored a run and drove one in. Corbin Carda scored two runs.

The legion boys would waste no time getting back after it as they traveled to Winner on Saturday, July 1, for one game at the Leahy Bowl. I wondered how they would respond after the intense game from the night before. They did perform well as they secured a solid 9-5 road victory.

Carter Cournoyer would get the ball not 24 hours after earning the clutch save the previous night and he was just as sharp in this contest. His final line was 6.2 innings pitched giving up five runs, four earned, on seven hits while walking five and striking out eight. The line would have been much better, but he began to tire in the 6th inning as he walked two and gave up three hits. Corbin Carda came on and struck out one of the two batters he faced to close things out.

The game was closer than the score would indicate as Wagner held a slim 3-2 advantage going into the final frame. We would plate six much needed runs in the top of the seventh to give us what proved to be some valuable insurance.

Carda, Frank Soukup, Daniel Soukup, and Carlin Hopkins each collected two hits, scored one run, and drove in one run. Joey Cournoyer had one hit and one RBI. Carter helped his cause by knocking in two with a double. Slaba, Pesicka, and McAdaragh would cross the plate one time each as well.

On Wednesday, July 5, Wagner’s Post 11 American Legion team played host to Gregory County. Wagner would use 12 hits, five walks, and pitching from Matt Link, Frank Soukup, and Joey Cournoyer to notch an 8-6 victory.

Link started the game and went 4.2 innings giving up three earned runs on three hits, six walks, and two hit batsmen while striking out two.

Soukup would come on in a tight spot in the 5th inning with two outs and the bases loaded and induced a fly ball down the line which Camden Roth made a nice play on to preserve, at the time, a three run lead.

Frank had some tough luck in the next inning. He would walk the first batter but then gave up a couple of seeing eye singles and one blooper Wagner’s lead was cut to two. Cournoyer would come on and get the final two outs but did let one inherited runner score. He would finish out the game with a scoreless 7th inning.

At the plate, all ten Wagner batters in the starting lineup collected at least one hit. Link and Joey Cournoyer each had two hits and an RBI. Javian Pesicka, Corbin Carda, Ted Slaba, Carter Cournoyer, Camden Roth, Daniel Soukup, Keegan McAdaragh, and Carlin Hopkins all singled with Pesicka, Soukup, McAdaragh, and Hopkins all having an RBI.

The next night, July 6, the boys traveled to Tabor for one game. Carter Cournoyer was the pitcher of record and, as usual, he threw a very good game. He pitched 5.2 innings giving up four runs, two of which were earned. He would strike out eight and walk three. Daniel Soukup came on to get the final out and retired the one batter he faced.

Offensively Wagner was led by Javian Pesicka who had two hits and scored a run. Carda, Link, Hopkins, Joey Cournoyer, Carter Cournoyer, and Brady Cournoyer all had one hit with Joey knocking in one run.

This was one of those games that was there for the taking but Tabor made the key plays and got the key hits when they needed them, and we just didn’t as Tabor would take a 4-1 win. We outhit Tabor by an 8 to 4 count, but only one of them came with a runner in scoring position.

There will be plenty of home baseball this week as the 16U teeners will be in action on Monday and possibly Wednesday (depending on Kimball-White Lake’s numbers). The legion boys will host Tabor on Thursday and Platte-Geddes on Friday as their regular seasons come to a close.

The 14U teeners will begin their region tournament in Humboldt on Monday with their first game starting at 2:00.

On Sunday, July 9, the legion teams traveled to Elk Point for one game with the Huskies.

This was a tough one for Wagner as we would fall by a score of 9-0. We would not collect our first base runner until Camden Roth reached on an infield single in the 6th inning. We did collect a few hits in the 7th frame as Keegan McAdaragh, Corbin Carda, and Joey Cournoyer would all single.

Ted Slaba started on the mound and went five innings giving up the nine runs, seven of which were earned. He would walk two, hit two, and strike out two in this outing. Carlin Hopkins relieved in the 6th and retired three of the four batters he faced, two via the strikeout.

These boys are currently sitting at 5-7 on the year. They will finish out the regular season schedule this week with two home games. We will play Platte at 7:00 on Thursday and Tabor at 6:00 on Friday.

The region tournament will begin Monday, July 17, in Tabor. Opponent and time are yet to be determined.