GI Home Federal Wins Cornhusker League Championship In 15 Innings

(Grand Island, NE) - The Grand Island Home Federal baseball team has had its fair share of extra-inning contests this season and finally came out on top of one of them on Wednesday night defeating Hastings Five Points Bank by a final score of 3-2 in 15 innings. The victory at Ryder Park claimed the Cornhusker League Championship. GI earlier this season lost a 14-inning game at Kearney and fell in a 12-inning game vs Columbus. 

GI would be down 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth. Trent Verplank would score from third on a passed ball. Then in the bottom of the sixth GI would tie the game up on a throwing error from second base to first base as Hastings was trying to turn a double play. The error would allow Ian Arends to score. The contest would remain tied into extra innings. After 110 pitches in six and a third by starting pitcher Cohen Nelson, Grand Island would turn to Gabe Ruiz, who would throw seven and two-thirds in relief to keep Hastings off the scoreboard. Ruiz would have 90 pitches in the game.  Home Federal would have a chance in the 8th inning to try and win the game on a single to left field off the bat of Ryan Coslor with one out GI would send Arrends from second to third and then home. Hastings left fielder Jayden Teichmeier would throw an absolute dart home for Adam Rutt to catch it on a hop and tag out Arrends at home. 

The game would remain scoreless until the bottom of the 15th. Gage Gannon would get a leadoff double to start the frame. Ethan Foley would lay down a bunt to advance Gannon to third. That then brought Ryan Coslor to the plate. He would fly out to left field allowing Gannon to tag and score from third base to win the game for Grand Island. GI now 3-0 vs Hastings this season. Hastings Five Points Bank with the loss is now 19-14-1 on the season. GI is now 27-9. Home Federal will be back in action this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday participating in the Hastings/Kearney tournament. Home Federal will play at Duncan Field in Hastings on Friday, July 12th at 3:00 pm vs Millard South (Listen live on KRGI 1430/105.5 & krgi.com). Saturday Grand Island will play Lincoln Northstar at 3:00 pm then take on the Colorado Dirt Devils at 5:30 pm. After those three games, Home Federal will have a place game on Sunday.