Bluejays pull away from Mustangs for third-straight win

By Jon Dykstra | April 8, 2024 |

JON DYKSTRA/THE FORUM
Northeast Nodaway sophomore shortstop Brayden Stevens makes a throw across the diamond on Monday in Hopkins.

HOPKINS, Mo. — Northeast Nodaway opened the season with a very tough schedule — their first four opponents combining for a 25-9 record. The Bluejays lost those four games.

The schedule has evened out since and Northeast Nodaway has taken advantage with three straight 275 Conference victories to climb to 3-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play. During that run, the Jays have out-scored DeKalb, Stewartsville-Osborn and North Nodaway by a combined 38-7.

“We’ve been talking about commitment the last couple weeks and really making sure that they didn’t hang their heads and they stayed after it,” Bluejay coach Cody Green said. “… Nothing is ever given in this game, you just have to take it from them.”

On Monday, Northeast Nodaway picked up a 18-6 win in Hopkins. The game was back and forth early with the Jays starting with freshman Reece Gray on the mound and the Mustangs going with senior Brice Trimble.

Senior Tyler New began what would be a big day at the plate for the Bluejay center fielder with an RBI single in the top of the first. Camdain Frisch added his own RBI single to plate New and take a 2-0 lead.

“Just seeing the ball out of the hand is key for hitting,” New said. “I was seeing it well out of the hand.”

North Nodaway responded with a 2-out RBI single from senior Aydan Blackford to cut the lead in half. The Jays came back with four runs in the second inning, including another RBI single from New.

North Nodaway got one run back in the second and exploded in the third inning for four runs with a 2-run single from Trimble causing the Jays to go to the bullpen with sophomore Brayden Stevens. Stevens was greeted with a game-tying 2-run single by Trevin Wyllie.

“They (North Nodaway) played really well to get back into that game,” Green said. “Honestly, it was good for our boys to feel the pressure a little bit.”

Stevens was able to stop the bleeding there and the Bluejay offense roared to life with Gray and New singling to open the inning before Grant McIntyre was walked and the Jays added on three straight hits for four runs before the Mustangs recorded an out. Landon Wilmes added a sacrifice-fly for an 11-6 lead.

“Confidence is what flipped us,” New said. “We were starting to get hits and once one person gets a hit, everyone starts hitting. After one hit, confidence builds.”

Stevens silenced the Mustang offense and worked around an error in the fourth inning with two strikeouts. He turned in a 1-2-3 fifth inning with two more strikeouts.

“He pitched great,” New said. “He’s throwing heat.”

Lance Runde tacked on an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. Stevens worked around another error in the sixth with two more strikeouts.

“Pound the zone, hit the corners,” Stevens said.

The Jays put the game away with six runs in the seventh inning — all coming with two outs. The two biggest hits were back-to-back 2-run singles by Runde and Stevens.

“Put the ball in play and good things will happen,” Green said.

Stevens finished the game with 4 2/3 shutout innings with just one hit and walk allowed with eight strikeouts.

“I just thought it was my job and I am the guy for the job,” Stevens said of coming in as a reliever. “Come in and do my part.”

New led the offense with a 3-for-4 day with three RBI and three runs. Wilmes, Frisch and Gray each added two hits.

North Nodaway was led by Blaine Clements and Wyllie with two hits each.

“We haven’t played our best game yet,” North Nodaway coach Cody Jenkins said. “We haven’t put a full game together yet. And they know that we are getting close in every aspect. … We have the ability to put a full game together. And once we can do that, I think we can sustain that and really get on a little bit of a run.”

The Bluejays play at Maysville on Friday before a pivotal stretch of 275 games with South Holt, Nodaway Valley and Platte Valley. The Mustangs (0-7, 0-3 275) will hunt their first win on Thursday at East Atchison.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys and they are starting to figure out how to play the game,” Stevens said. “It is a big step from where they were at to now.”