The Alliance Spartans were the only team to go undefeated on the first day of the annual Chadron American Legion Post #12 Wood Bat Tournament.
Alliance smashed Valentine in the late afternoon game, then took advantage of errors and a short pitching staff for a 9-5 comeback win over the Chadron FNBO Senior Nationals in the nightcap.
Alliance scored in the top of the 1st, but Chadron responded with 3 in the bottom of the inning and single runs in the 2nd and 3rd to lead 5-1. Alliance got one back in the 5th, then things fell apart for Chadron.
The Nats gave up 3 unearned runs in the 6th, 2 of them on a 3-base error on a sacrifice bunt, then ran into issues with innings and absences on the pitching staff and yielded 4 more runs in the 7th.
It was a far cry from Chadron’s tournament opener, a pitcher’s duel that saw them edge Sheridan County 1-0. Sheridan County bounced right back to club Gering 10-5, and Gering then topped Valentine 8-5 before Valentine fell to Alliance.
Today’s schedule has Chadron taking on Gering at 10:30, followed by Gering and Alliance, Alliance against Sheridan County, and Sheridan County vs Valentine before the tournament finale of Chadron and Valentine.