Serena comes from behind to beat Indian Creek in regional opener

SHABBONA – Serena needed an extra inning to rally from a three-run deficit to overtake Indian Creek and win a Class 1A regional semifinal contest, 7-5, Friday afternoon.

Trailing the host Timberwolves, 5-2, after five innings, the Huskers scored two in the sixth, one in the seventh and two in the eighth to win.

Serena, seeded fifth in its subsectional, faces No. 1-seeded Newark on Monday for the regional title.

Fourth-seeded Indian Creek ends tournament play with a 9-10 overall record.

The Little Ten Conference rivals both made the most of fielding miscues to score runs.

“They were able to handle plays in the field and put the ball in play when they were batting, and we did not,” Indian Creek coach Kevin Poterek said. “Also, we struck out a little too much at the end, and that cost us. We had control and we should have held on.”

“We’ve hung in there and battled in several games all year, but we weren’t able to come from behind and pull one out, so it was a nice way to do it today,” Serena coach Chad Baker said. “I think their first four runs were unearned. It was just a matter of keeping our focus and staying in the ballgame.”

The squads exchanged unearned runs in the first inning.

Capitalizing on Serena errors, Indian Creek scored three runs in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead.

Starting pitcher Drew Gaston led off the inning being hit by a pitch from Huskers’ starter Ivan Stafford. Kyle Bangert reached base on an infield error. Both seniors crossed the plate when Cameron Russell’s fly ball was misplayed in the outfield. Russell scored on Logan Suddeth’s bloop single to center field.

Both teams added a run in the fifth inning.

Serena (11-15) tied the game in the seventh. Connor Holdman opened the frame with a walk, stole second and advanced to third when a pickoff throw went into center field. He crossed the plate on a Stafford grounder to second.

Indian Creek threatened in its half of the inning, but could not push across a run. With two out, Suddeth rapped a hard grounder that Serena’s infield could not handle. Suddeth advance to second when Gage Oleson reached on a dropped third strike. Holdman, who came on in relief of Stafford, ended the threat by striking out Erik Jernigan. Jernigan had come through in his two previous at-bats, hitting a double and a single.

The Huskers plated their final two runs in the eight on a passed ball and a Holdman single.

“It was really just the little things. When it came down to the end, we weren’t able to complete the game,” Gaston said. “It was the errors and strike three looking.” The senior right-hander pitched through the sixth inning.

The loss also spoiled Indian Creek’s senior day. Eight graduating members of the team were honored before the game.

“Weather forced us to move [Senior Day],” Poterek said. “We contacted [Serena] and they were kind enough to allow us to do it because we’re running out of days.”