The Randall Cubs downed the St. Mathias Devils 4-2 on Sunday as Nate Benning belted a 2-run Homer and Adam Nibaur threw a strong 7 innings, striking out 8 while scattering 6 hits to get the Win.
The Cubs were held to just 1 hit over the first 3 innings by Devils starter Bryce Flanagan, but in the top of the 4th, Garrett Lindberg led off with a single and 2 outs later, Nathan Benning clubbed a 2-run Homer to right to put Randall ahead 2-0.
The Devils answered right back with 2 runs of their own in the bottom of the 4th to tie the game. Konnor Wicklund reached on a 1-out error, then Luke Zontelli singled to move Wicklund to 3rd. Bryce Flanagan then ripped an rbi double to score Wicklund and make it 2-1. Alex Guggisberg followed with an rbi single to score Zontelli and tie the game at 2-2. Cubs starter Adam Nibaur then got a pair of strikeout to strand runners at 2nd and 3rd to end the 4th.
The Cubs broke the tie in the top of the 6th when Zack Gwost led off with a walk, prompting a Devils pitching change as Connor Knettel took over on the mound. Rick Drew sacrificed Gwost to 2nd, and a ground out to 2nd by Nathan Benning moved Gwost to 3rd. Gwost then scored on a passed ball to put Randall ahead 3-2.
It stayed that way until the top of the 9th when Charlie Smieja led off with a walk, then went to 3rd on an error on a ball put in play by Brett Strack. Adam Nibaur then singled to center to score Smieja to make it 4-2.
Nathan Benning, who took over from Adam Nibaur to start the 8th, struck out the side in the bottom of the 9th to end the game and wrap up the Cubs 4-2 win.
Randall 4 6 1 – 4
St. Mathias 2 6 2 – 2
WP: Adam Nibaur 7.0IP 2 runs 6 hits 8k 2bb
SV: Nathan Benning 2.0IP 0 runs 0 hits 5k 1bb
LP: Bryce Flanagan 5.0IP 3 runs 4 hits 9k 2bb
Connor Knettel 4.0IP 1 run 2 hits 4k 3bb
Cubs:
Alex Gwost 1-5
Garrett Lindberg 2-3 run
– Bob Sanders 0-2
Zack Gwost 0-3 bb, run
Rick Drew 0-3 sac
Nathan Benning 1-4 Hr, 2 rbi, run
Charlie Smieja 1-3 bb, run
Brett Strack 0-2 2bb
Adam Nibaur 1-3 bb, rbi
Dane Peterson 0-3 sac
Devils:
Hunter Wicklund 0-3 sac
Konnor Wicklund 1-3 bb, run
Luke Zontelli 1-4 run
Bryce Flanagan 2-3 2B, bb, rbi
Alex Guggisberg 1-3 sac, sb, rbi
Tydan Guida 0-4
Kyle Welle 0-4
Elijah Tautges 0-3
– Kyper DeRosier 0-1
Nate Eschenbacher 0-1
_ Crew Dahlheimer 1-2
– Braxton Tautges 0-0 bb