Columbus Legion Seniors split at North Platte

May 29--On Saturday, the Columbus Cornerstone Insurance Group Seniors hit the road for North Platte for an American Legion doubleheader and came away with a split of the two-game set.

Columbus came out strong, plating five runs in the opening frame, ignited by No. 2 hitter Cade Fullmer's single, which was followed by a base-on-balls to Trevor Kaslon.

Logan Mueller then reached on an error, before back-to-back base hits by Jared Nitz and Brent Beard cleared the bases for an early 5-0 advantage.

North Platte responded in the home half of the first with a pair of runs, punctuated by a solo homer off the bat of Kade Wroot to make it a 5-2 contest.

After a quiet second and third innings, Columbus scored another run as Jacob Morse singled, then came around to score, making it 6-3 in favor of the visitors.

In the bottom of the fifth, North Platte's Jacob Swift singled and scored, providing the final margin.

Mueller and Morse both went 3-for-3 on the game, while Nitz collected a pair of singles.

In the second game, Columbus' good fortune from the opener failed to carry over, as they were defeated by the hosts by a final of 5-4.

However, Columbus got out on the front foot in the top of the first, as leadoff man Colby Gilson reached base on an error, then moved up to second on a sacrifice by Fullner.

After a Kaslon groundout, Mueller then drove Gilson home for a 1-0 lead before Nitz struck out looking to end the inning.

In the top of the third, Fullner reached safely and scored for a 2-0 lead.

Mueller then went to work on the mound and kept the North Platte bats quiet for the first two innings, until Jace Rogers greeted him with a triple on a 3-2 count to lead off the third, then scored to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

North Platte then deadlocked the contest at 2-2 with a single marker in the fourth inning and added another pair in the fifth for a 4-2 lead.

Columbus came back with a pair of its own in the top of the sixth when Kaslon tripled, followed by a Mueller double and the game was tied again at 4-4.

However, the home side plated what proved to be the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth when Avery Munson singled, then came around to cross home plate.

Mueller had a pair of doubles as part of a 2-for-3 day at the plate to lead the visitors.

Columbus will next host Norfolk at Pawnee Park Field at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Scott Akanewich is the sports editor for The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at [email protected].

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