Waverly wins twice at Roncalli Tournament (2024)

OMAHA- The Empire Netting and Fence Seniors finished with a 2-1 mark at the Omaha Roncalli Tournament on July 19-21. Waverly lost to ZKE Storage 7-3 and then came back to defeat Legacy Design Strategies Post 1 6-1 and the ETC Knights Seniors Red 6-4.

In their first game on July 21, Empire Netting and Fence was matched up with LDS Post 1. A strong seventh helped power Waverly to a five-run victory.

Out of the gate, Empire Netting and Fence put up one run in the top of the first.

With two outs, the rally started for Waverly when Bruin Sampson doubled to left field, and Landon Oelke was walked. Courtesy runner Crew Verkamp stole home in the next at-bat when the ball got by the catcher.

In the third inning, Empire Netting and Fence pushed their lead out to 2-0 when Oelke singled to center driving in Conner Gunderson.

After that, both offenses stayed quiet until the sixth. During that inning, both teams pushed across one run which made it a 3-1 contest in favor of Waverly.

In their final at-bat of the game, Empire Netting and Fence got two runners on when Oelke singled in the infield and Zach Schawang was walked. An error at third base by Concordia, a fielder’s choice, and a sac fly to center from Quinn Kment scratched across three more runs for Waverly and gave them a five-run edge in the end.

All driving in one run for Empire Netting and Fence in the victory were Gunderson, Oelke, Schmidt, and Kment. Sampson started on the mound and pitched all seven innings, gave up one earned run, and retired five batters on strikes.

To close out the tournament on Sunday, Waverly took on the ETC Knights Red. Empire Netting and Fence led from start to finish in a two-run victory.

Most of the damage offensively by Waverly came in the bottom of the second where they struck for five runs.

Crew Verkamp and Colt Kerchal drove in the first two runs for Empire Netting and Fence on a pair of singles to right and left field. That was followed up by a double to right field from Hunter Thoms and a single to left field by Gunderson. Waverly closed out their scoring in the game with one run in the fifth.

Coming through with two hits and two RBIs were Gunderson while McElhose, Verkamp, and Kerchal all had one run batted in.

Nash Peterson got the start on the mound and pitched 2.1 innings, gave up one earned run, and came through with one strikeout. Going 3.2 innings in relief with no earned runs given up and seven strikeouts was Schawang.

Owen Glassburner closed out the last inning and gave up three earned runs and retired one batter on strikes.

Empire Netting and Fence started the tournament off on July 20 and fell by four runs to ZKE Storage. Seward did all their damage in the third and fourth innings where they put up two runs and then five runs.

For Waverly, they scored one run in the first and then added another two runs in the sixth inning of play.

Getting one hit and driving in two runs in loss was Verkamp while Eli Russell had two hits to go along with one RBI.

Hunter Claycomb came out strong on the mound and pitched two innings, gave up no earned runs, and retired one batter on strikes. His reliever Logan Chloupek pitched 1.1 innings and gave up five earned runs.

Pitching two innings, giving up no earned runs, and striking out one batter to close out the game was Glassburner.

This week, Waverly hosts the B2 Area Tournament that starts on July 26. In the opening round they play the Fairbury Landsharks Seniors at 7 p.m. The winner of the Area Tournament will advance to the Class B State Tournament hosted by Holdrege.