The Kearney Bearcats will square off against the Lincoln Southeast Knights at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The last three games Kearney has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Kearney is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Nebraska's top teams: Millard West, who was ranked 12th at the time (Kearney was ranked 15th). The Bearcats fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 9-8 on Monday. The Bearcats have struggled against the Wildcats recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive lost meeting.
Griffin Novacek put in work no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up a single earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
In other batting news, Kole Throckmorton was cooking despite his team's loss, going 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. Chase Bentz was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs.
Fremont hit Lincoln Southeast with a five-run fifth inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Knights lost 8-1 to the Tigers.
Lincoln Southeast also got a good showing from Avery Williams, who tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
Lincoln Southeast's loss dropped their record down to 7-11. As for Kearney, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-8.
Lincoln Southeast's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Kearney has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .440. It's a different story for Lincoln Southeast, though, as they've only averaged .355. Will they be able to contain Kearney's hitters?
Kearney beat Lincoln Southeast 7-4 in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. Will the Bearcats repeat their success, or do the Knights have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
