Legion juniors, seniors each go 2-1 in past week

The Imperial Legion teams hit the road for three straight away games in four days before returning home for a Tuesday night game against Ogallala.
Imperial came out swinging with three straight singles to start the seniors’ game at Ogallala June 22. A double, sac fly and another single sent each of the first six Horns’ batters across home plate.
Ogallala put the ball in play for two innings, but Imperial held on to the 6-0 lead through two innings with steady defense.
Despite the strong first inning for the Horns, Imperial went scoreless for three innings while Ogallala scored one run in the third inning after a leadoff double.
Both teams recovered from a scoreless fourth inning by plating two runs in the fifth. Singles by Nolan Burrell, Emmitt Zuege and Keenan Cole scored Burrell and Zuege. Two doubles helped Ogallala’s cause in the bottom of the inning.
The teams swapped 3-1 innings in the sixth and seventh.
Imperial scored three runs off five hits in the top of the sixth with Ogallala answering with one run in the bottom.
The Horns tacked on one more run in the top of the seventh, before giving up three runs to Ogallala at the end of Imperial’s 12-7 win.
Burrell pitched most of the game before Zuege came on in relief. Burrell allowed seven hits, one walk and six strikeouts. Zuege gave up no hits and struck out one.
Imperial won the juniors’ game against Ogallala thanks to a four-run ninth inning.
The Horns scored two runs in the first and third innings to jump out to a 4-0 lead.
Ogallala got on the board with one run in the bottom of the third inning, but Imperial responded with two more runs in the fourth, then one more in the fifth.
The 7-1 lead almost wasn’t enough.
Following scoreless sixth and seventh innings by Imperial, Ogallala tied the game with six runs in the bottom of the seventh.
In extra innings, both teams scored a run in the eighth.
The bottom of Imperial’s lineup came through in the top of the ninth, scoring two runs before the top of the order took over and scored two more.
The Horns held Ogallala scoreless in the bottom of the ninth to take a 12-8 win.
Jaret Peterson and Cooper Dillan shared pitching duties. The duo allowed eight hits, eight walks and struck out 12.
Rout short-handed MVM
Imperial took care of business at Medicine Valley-Maywood Saturday.
The senior Horns got off to a slow start. Both teams scored one run to start the game, then went scoreless in the second inning.
Imperial added a second run in the third before breaking loose in the fourth and fifth innings. The Horns batted around and scored five runs in each inning to take the 12-1 win.
Despite only outhitting the Outlaws 8-6, Imperial didn’t give up a run after the first inning. The Horns had five hits in the fourth inning and four walks in the fifth to move batters around the bases.
Dominic Sis drove in four runs.
Trevor Peterson pitched a complete game for the Horns, walking three and striking out five.
Eighteen juniors saw action as they rolled to a 18-2 win against the Outlaws.
Imperial jumped out to a 4-1 lead at the end of the first inning and steadily increased the margin.
The Horns scored two runs and held Medicine Valley-Maywood scoreless in the second, then added nine runs while giving up one in the third inning.
Imperial closed out the game with a 3-0 fourth inning.
Carter Leibbrandt, Tristan Jablonski and Camron Lempke pitched for Imperial, giving up three hits, three walks and striking out nine.
Mason Wallin went 3-3 at the plate and Tyler O’Neil was 2-2. Each had three RBIs.
Both lose to Broken Bow
After beating Broken Bow in a close contest June 20, the seniors were on the losing end of the Monday night’s game at Broken Bow.
Broken Bow scored all four of its runs in the bottom of the first inning.
The Horns only run of the game came in the fourth inning. T. Peterson led off with a double and came around to score.
Sis was on the mound for Imperial. He gave up six hits, two walks and struck out seven.
Imperial had five hits in the game. Both teams stranded four runners.
The Horns fell 4-9 in the juniors’ game.
Imperial trailed 1-2 at the end of the first inning.
Broken Bow held the Horns scoreless in the second inning and added two runs to its own total.
Imperial cut the lead in half, 2-4, with a run in the top of the third inning.
Both teams added runs in the fifth inning. Imperial tied the game at four in the top of the inning, but gave up five runs in the bottom half to wrap up scoring in the game.
J. Peterson pitched for the Horns, striking out three, walking two and allowing 10 hits.
Tuesday’s contests against Ogallala, the last of the seniors’ regular season, will be included in next week’s issue of the Republican.
Up next
The juniors will be busy in the upcoming weeks, while the seniors have time to prepare for the postseason.
Overton will come to Imperial for a juniors doubleheader July 6.
The senior championship game will be July 7 and the senior all-star game, including T. Peterson, Sis and Bauerle, will be July 8 at Kearney.
Juniors’ districts will be played at Gordon July 9-14, followed by the juniors’ state tournament July 17-22 in Pender.
Districts for the seniors will be at Bridgeport July 23-28. The seniors’ state tournament will be July 31-Aug. 5 in Palmer.