On Monday, July 11, Wagner’s 14U teener team traveled to North Sioux City to play in the double elimination region tournament. They were first pitted against Vermillion, who happened to be the defending champion in this age group.

Unfortunately for Wagner the game started out with some very poor defense as we committed three errors in the first inning followed by three in the second inning. Vermillion scored six unearned runs in those two innings to get out to a 7-1 lead from which Wagner could not recover as they fell by a score of 11-1. Frank Soukup was the unfortunate recipient of the woeful defensive effort as he pitched those two innings. He would give up six hits, walk no one, and strike out two. Malaki Segura would then come on to pitch 2+ innings. He would give up four runs, three of them earned, on one hit, two walks, and two hit batters while striking out one.

Wagner collected four hits in this game, one each by Soukup, Brady Cournoyer, Trey Segura, and Kysin Cook. Cournoyer’s single would plate Soukup for Wagner’s lone run.

Wagner then would face Elk Point-Jefferson in an elimination game later that day. Things did not start out much better for them in this game as EPJ would get out to a 6-0 lead after two innings. Errors weren’t so much a factor in this game, however, as the EPJ batters just seemed to place the ball perfectly to get runners on base and drive them in. Thankfully, this game ended with a better outcome as Wagner was able to get things rolling offensively and come away with a 13-7 win.

Javian Pesicka started this game. He would go 6.1 innings. After giving up six runs in the first two innings, five of them being earned, he settled in and allowed only one run the rest of the way. Javian would allow eight hits while walking no one, hitting one batter, and striking out eleven. Brady Cournoyer would come on to pitch and would retire both men he faced.

Pesicka would also lead the way at the plate for Wagner as he went 2 for 5 with a double while driving in three runs. Brady Cournoyer would also collect two hits, with one being a double as he drove in one run. Soukup would add a hit and two RBI. Preston McFayden had a double and a run scored. Malaki Segura doubled, scored a run, and drove one in. Trey Segura and Kysin Cook would each single and drive in one run with Trey scoring one run and Kysin, two. Ky Arpan would single and score. Paxton Kuhlman ended up walking twice and getting plunked by a pitch and would score two times.

The win over EPJ meant that Wagner would survive until day two of the tournament. They would once again face Vermillion as Vermillion lost in the second round to Dakota Valley.

The first two innings would be scoreless. Wagner would get things going in the top of the 3rd as Pesicka would single and Soukup would walk with one out. They would then advance a base on a balk. Cournoyer would follow that up with a two-run double down the left field line. Vermillion would then answer back with one run in the top of the inning.

After a scoreless 4th, Wagner would plate a run in the top of the 5th as Pesicka would score on a wild pitch. Once again, Vermillion would answer back as they would score three runs on four hits in the inning to take a one run lead.

In the top of the 6th the bottom of the order would get on base with two walks and two hit batsmen to plate one run. We were only able to scratch across one other run, that being on a sacrifice fly which would give us a one run advantage. Vermillion would punch back again as they scored two in the bottom half to take back their one run lead.

In the final frame Wagner would put a runner in scoring position with two out but a groundout to shortstop would end the game in Vermillion’s favor by a 6-5 count.

Brady Cournoyer would pitch 5.1 innings giving up four earned runs on six hits while walking three, hitting two, and striking out three. McFayden was the pitcher of record as he gave up two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one.

Cournoyer would also have the big bat in this game as he went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI. Pesicka, McFayden, Dilts, and Trey Segura each collected a hit while Soukup and Kuhlman would each have one RBI.

This would end the 14U’s season with a record of 9-12. Much thanks go out to the players and their parents as they put forth their time and effort to make this season an enjoyable one.

On Friday, July 15, Wagner’s 16U group traveled up to Plankinton for one seven inning contest. The boys were looking to avenge an earlier loss at the hands of these Mt. Vernon-Plankinton Titans, but it was not to be as Wagner would go down in defeat by a score of 11-5.

Matt Link was the starting pitcher for Wagner and would last only two innings. Matt would give up six earned runs on eight hits, one walk, and two hit batters while striking out one. Javian Pesicka would then come on for the next two innings. He would give up two unearned runs on two hits while walking one and striking out one. Preston McFayden entered the game to pitch the final two innings and was one batter away from throwing two perfect innings. But batter number six would walk and that was followed up by three hits and two more walks as three runs would score after two were out.

Wagner was led at the plate by three players who had multiple hits. Corbin Carda, Colby Krcil, and Carlin Hopkins would each collect two hits with Krcil collecting an RBI. Pesicka, Daniel Soukup, and Carter Cournoyer would each add one hit with Cournoyer’s being a double. Hunter Loeffler would walk twice and score two runs.

The 16U teeners are now sitting with a record of 15-6. They will play in Salem on Monday and in Tyndall on Wednesday. These will be their last games to tune up for their region tournament which will be held in Wagner July 25-27.