WAYNE – Heading into yesterday’s Class B Area Five District Championship, both Wayne Rolling Hills Supply and West Point Sr. Bombers had already punched their tickets to the Class B State Tournament by being in the district final.
However, there was still something to play for…momentum heading into that tournament.
That momentum was snagged by Wayne, who jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning on their way to a 6-0 shutout win.
“This win gives us a ton of confidence heading into state,” Hayden Kelley said. “We’er swinging it well; we’re pitching it well; and we had all the arms that we needed for today. We’re just excited to go to state.”
Swinging it well was an understatement for Kelley, who ended the day a perfect 3-for-3 from the batter’s box with two triples. His first came in the first inning, as after Wayen got on the board with an Ethan Synovec RBI groudout, Kelley roped a line drive deep to right field to score Gavin Redden and give Wayne a 2-0 lead.
Wayne’s bats would continue to collect hits, but only one run would come across between the second and fifth innings before hainging a three spot in the sixth.
Kaleb Moormeier got the scoring going in that sixth with an RBI bunt-single, beating out the throw to first; before an RBI double by Redden made it 5-0.
Synovec would tack on another run with a sac fly to center before Kelley collected his second triple in the contest when he plugged the right-center field gap.
Wayne finished the day with 12 hits in the contest, with many of their hits being extra bases by Kelley. However it wasn’t just his bat that produced the extra-base effort.
“I just say the ball go right down the middle, so I had to swing it myself,” Kelley said. “But I also had a lot of good teammates like Ethan (Synovec) and Gavin (Redden) who roped a couple doubles themselves, so we hit it very well as a team.”
On the mound, Redden was a force to be reckoned with, scattering six hits while picking up a pair of strikeouts while not allowing any runs in a 96-pitch complete-game shutout.
“The team helped me a lot on the pitcher’s mound,” Redden said, “They came up with some tough plays in the outfield and a double play as well, which makes it easier to throw. We played really well, and I’m excited to see where we’re going as a team.”
With the win, Wayne will take part in the National Division of the Class B State tournament as they open play Saturday against Cornerstone Bolton (York) in Minden.
West Point, despite the loss, heads to the state tournament as well as Class B has adopted a 16-team format similar to Class A. They’ll take part in the American Divison down in Auburn and open with Nebraska Door & Window (Seward) Saturday as well.