Blues go 3-2 during G.I. Hastings Tournament

HASTINGS -- The Columbus First National Bank Junior Blues baseball team finished 3-2 at the Grand Island/Hastings Tournament this weekend.

The Blues won a thriller over Bellevue West 12-11 in Sunday’s second game.

Both offenses came out swinging, as West led 7-4 after two innings.

Columbus scored four times in the top of the fourth, as Drew Gay, Tim Jackson, James Landholm, Brady Vancura and Tyler Vrba hit consecutive singles to open the inning.

West regained the lead 9-8 in the bottom of the inning, but the Blues scored three runs on no hits in the fifth to regain the lead 11-9.

West tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, setting up final-inning heroics for Columbus.

Landholm led off the seventh with a walk and advanced to third two batters later. Justin VanDyke followed with an RBI single, and the Blues shut out West in the bottom of the inning to end the game.

The two teams combined to have 20 hits and no errors.

The Blues overpowered Omaha Roncalli 13-4 in Sunday’s first game.

Columbus batted around in the second and scored four runs.

The Blues sent 13 more batters to the plate in the third, as they scored nine runs.

Gay, Nathan Channer, Jackson, Vancura, Jason Bouc and Vince Tira all contributed RBIs for Columbus.

Roncalli scored once in the third and three more times in the fourth, but the Blues defense ended the game after five innings because of the eight-run mercy rule.

Columbus literally gave away a 9-7 win to Omaha Northwest in Saturday’s nightcap. The Blue pitching staff issued 15 free passes to Northwest for the game.

Columbus scored in each of the first five innings and held a 7-6 lead going into the final inning.

But Roncalli scored three runs with two outs to take the victory.

Vrba led the Blues’ hitting attack by going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

A big seventh inning rally gave the Blues a 9-3 win over Lincoln Southeast in Friday’s second game.

Trailing 3-2 going into the final inning, Columbus scored seven runs on six hits to steal the victory.

Sackett and Landholm each collected two hits in the inning, as the Blues sent 12 hitters to the plate in the frame.

Grand Island Five Points overpowered Columbus 12-2 in the tournament’s opener.

Five Points scored in every inning, including six in the fourth, in a game that ended after five innings because of the mercy rule.

Columbus scored its only two runs in the second on RBIs from Landholm and Vrba.

The Blues face Norfolk in a 5:30 p.m. doubleheader Tuesday at Pawnee Park Field.

Sunday's Games

Game 2

Columbus 220 430 1 -- 12 12 1

Bellevue West 520 202 0 -- 11 8 0

Pitching: WP - Nathan Channer. LP - Jacobson.

Leading Hitters: Connor Sackett 2-for-5, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Brady Vancura 2-for-4, 2 RBIs, run; Tyler Vrba 3-for-5, 2 RBIs, run; Tim Jackson 2-for-4, 3 runs.

Game 1

Columbus 049 00 -- 13 8 1

Omaha Roncalli 001 30 -- 4 6 2

Pitching: WP - Nathan Channer. LP - Conner O’Niel.

Leading Hitters: Vince Tira 3-for-3, 2B, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Jason Bouc 2-for-3, 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Justin VanDyke 1-for-3, 2B, 2 runs.

Saturday’s Game

Omaha NW 021 120 3 -- 9 4 3

Columbus 111 220 0 -- 7 9 4

Pitching: WP - Fosmen. LP - Blayne Wurdinger.

Leading Hitters: Tyler Vrba 3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs, run; Jason Bouc 2-for-4, RBI, 2 runs; Blayne Wurdinger 1-for-3, 2 RBIs; Drew Gay 1-for-4, 2 RBIs.

Friday Games

Game 2

Columbus 100 010 7 -- 9 11 5

Lincoln SE 020 010 0 -- 3 6 4

Pitching: WP - Justin VanDyke. LP - O’Neill.

Leading Hitters: Connor Sackett 3-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2 runs; James Landholm 3-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2 runs; Tyler Vrba 1-for-5, RBI, run.

Game 1

Columbus 020 00 -- 2 5 5

Grand Island 312 6X -- 12 10 1

Pitching: WP - Hoesen. LP - Tim Jackson.

Leading Hitters: Tyler Vrba 1-for-3, RBI; Nathan Channer 1-for-2, 2B, run; James Landholm RBI.