Koester stymies Schuyler bats

Hopefully for the York Cornerstone Seniors, last night was not "Koester's last stand."
Kevin Koester went 3 for 4 at the plate Wednesday night and knocked in two runs in York's 6-3 victory over Schuyler in the loser's bracket of the Class B, Area 4 District Tournament at Merchant Park. The win kept alive the Cornerstone Seniors' dream of making the Nebraska State Tournament beginning next week at St. Paul.
Even though Koester was a terror at the plate, it was his pitching performance that extended York's life in the post season. Koester fanned 13 Schuyler batters, walked none, hit one batter, gave up no earned runs, and allowed five hits in picking up his second win of the 2008 campaign.
York coach Erik Gray commented on Koester's pitching.
"Having Koester go the distance was huge," Gray said. "Yesterday we used three pitchers and that begins to wear on a staff. For Kevin to go the entire game really helps us, especially since we will be playing every day from now on.
"Kevin did a great job in getting strike one early in the count and staying ahead of the hitters."
York's first at bat didn't hurt either.
Before Schuyler could bat an eye, York had four runners cross home plate in the bottom of the first inning.
Kelan Walford led off with a single up the middle, and Aman Singh worked losing pitcher Kyle Emanuel for an eight pitch walk. Billy Grenfell moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt place perfectly in front of the plate. Clean up hitter Jordan Hansen did just what he is supposed to do in that role as he hit a rocket off the left field fence scoring both runners to give Cornerstone a 2-0 lead.
Koester helped his own cause with a single to right field scoring Hansen. Scott Nannen was inserted to run for Koester, and he scored from first base on a hit and run play when Cole Robinson rocketed a single to left field.
York added runs in the third and fourth innings to increase its lead to 6-0. In the third, Nannen stole second base, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and came home when Emanuel walked three consecutive batters. In the fourth, it was a Koester RBI single that brought Grenfell home from third base following his single and stolen base. In all, the bankers posted seven stolen bases for the game.
In the sixth inning, York staged a two-out rally when Danny Zegers and Walford each got aboard on infield singles. For Walford, it was his second safety in the contest. However, the threat was dampened when Singh rolled out to the third baseman.
Schuyler, the hosts of the tournament and staring elimination from the tournament, would not lie down in the top of the seventh inning.
Emanuel led off with an infield single and advanced on a throwing error by Grenfell, the York shortstop. Two more hits, two more York errors, a hit batsman, and three unearned runs later, Gray and his Seniors saw the tying run come to the plate in the form of Brad Benesch. Fittingly for York Cornerstone and Koester, the final out and his thirteenth strikeout of the game came only after catcher Jake Staehr threw a strike to Zegers at first for the putout following a dropped third strike.
Following the game, Gray commented on the victory which kept the season dream alive.
"We are very pleased with the win tonight," the Cornerstone skipper said. "We never take a win for granted, and I have told the players to savor each and every win."
In order to keep itself in contention for the district title, run production will be key according to the head coach.
"We're have to score early and often," Gray said. "We have used a lot of our pitchers so we need to score early and keep scoring to protect the lead."
With a few hits and runs, the York season can be extended, and Part II of "Koester's last stand." might very well be possible.
 
Score by Innings
Schuyler             000 000 3    3  5  1
York (15-14)      401 100 x    6  9  3
WP  K. Koester  LP K. Emanuel
2B Y- Hansen