BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
NICKERSON — Nickerson's all-state pitcher Carson Cornelius delivered a lesson to the Larned Indians. Cornelius struck out 12 batters in a one-hit shutout as the Panthers roared past the Indians 10-0 in Tuesday's Central Kansas League opener.
Two-time CKL champion Nickerson (5-1, 5-1 CKL) completed a sweep of Larned (4-4, 2-4 CKL) with a 6-2 victory in the nightcap.
NICKERSON 10, LARNED 0 (G1) — Chandler Eaton drove in four runs and delivered the game-ending bases-loaded double for a five-inning affair. Larned catcher Jack Stelter doubled for the Indians' base hit. The Indians self destructed with five errors.
The Panthers scored four third-inning runs off pitcher Dillan Smith. Johnny Huggard scored on an error. Eaton singled home Tanner Schrag. Cornelius singled home Noah Salazar. Courtesy runner Kolby Shea scored on an error.
Schrag scored on a fourth-inning error. Jarron Kaufmann scored an error to start a five-run fifth inning. Garrett Conde scored on Schrag's sacrifice fly. Eaton's double scored Huggard, Kaleb Jackson and Salazar after three walks and a hit batter.
NICKERSON 7, LARNED 2 (G2) — Larned led 2-0 after a half-inning, but failed to score in the final six innings. Logan Erway singled home Dillan Smith and Mason Perez for a 2-0 lead off all-state pitcher Tanner Schrag. Jack Stelter's double was the Indians' only hit the final six innings. Nickerson scored four unearned runs.
Cornelius singled home Noah Salazar for a first-inning run. Schrag scored on an error after a walk and hit batter. Kaleb Jackson scored on a Cornelius sacrifice fly for a 3-2 lead after two frames.
Larned gift wrapped Nickerson's two-run fourth inning with two errors after a wild and hit batter. Bryce Isley scored on the first error and Kolby Shea scored on the second error for a 5-2 lead. Shea's sacrifice fly scored Kaufmann with a fifth-inning run. Salazar scored a sixth-inning run on Tre Garcia's sacrifice.
Relievers Tre Garcia and Johnny Huggard threw three shutout innings.
Larned 000 00 — 0 1 5
Nickerson 004 15 — 10 10 2
Smith, Pleasant (4) and Stelter. Cornelius and Eaton. W—Cornelius. L—Smith.
2B—L—Stelter; N—Eaton.
Larned 200 000 0 —2 3 4
Nickerson 102 211 x — 7 8 0
Smyth, Pleasant (6) and Stelter. Schrag, Garcia (5), Huggard (7) and Eaton. W—Schrag. L—Smyth. 2B—L—Stelter; 3B— N—Schrag.
CKL BASEBALL
Nickerson 5-1 5-1
Hoisington 5-1 5-1
Haven 3-1 5-1
Hesston 4-2 6-2
Halstead 3-3 3-3
Pratt 3-3 3-3
Larned 2-4 4-4
Hillsboro 1-3 1-3
Lyons 1-5 1-5
Smoky Valley 1-5 1-7
TUESDAY—Nickerson 10-0, 7-2 Larned; Hoisington 10-9, 5-1 Pratt; Halstead 12-2, 11-1 Lyons; Hesston 21, Haven 10; Haven 7, Hesston 6; Hillsboro 15, Smoky Valley 0; Smoky Valley 4, Hillsboro 3
FRIDAY—Nickerson at Halstead; Hoisington at Haven; Hillsboro at Hesston; Lyons at Pratt; Smoky Valley at Larned
NICKERSON (5-1, 5-1)—WL Hoisington 8-2, 4-5; WW Lyons 13-3, 3-0; WW Larned 10-0, 7-2; 4-12—at Halstead; 4-16—Pratt; 4-23—Haven; 4-26—at Smoky Valley; 4-30—at Kingman; 5-3—at Hesston; 5-7—Hillsboro
HOISINGTON (5-1, 5-1)—WL Nickerson 5-4, 2-8; WW Smoky Valley 6-1, 11-1; WW Pratt 10-9, 5-1; 4-12—at Haven; 4-16—Hesston; 4-18—Ellinwood; 4-23—Halstead; 4-26—at Hillsboro; 5-3—at Larned; 5-7—at Lyons
HAVEN (3-1, 5-1)—WW Halstead 10-0, 4-3; WW Kingman 10-7, 9-3; WL Hesston 706, 10-21; 4-12—Hoisington; 4-16—at Larned; 4-23—at Nickerson; 4-26—Lyons; 4-30—at Hillsboro; 5-3—Pratt; 5-7—at Smoky Valley
HESSTON (4-2, 6-2)—WW Smoky Valley 10-4, 9-4; WW Chaparral 10-0 11-1; WL Halstead 8-7, 0-10; WL Haven 21-10 6-7; 4-12—Hillsboro; 4-16—at Hoisington; 4-23—at Lyons; 4-26—Larned; 5-3—Nickerson; 5-7—at Pratt
HALSTEAD (3-3, 3-3)—LL Haven 0-10, 3-4; WL Hesston 10-0, 7-8; WW Lyons 12-2, 11-1; 4-12—Nickerson; 4-16—at Hillsboro; 4-23—at Hoisington; 4-26—Pratt; 4-29—at Cheney; 5-2—at Smoky Valley; 5-7—Larned
PRATT (3-3, 3-3)—WW Hillsboro 4-0, 7-4; 3-29—Kingman, ppd.; WL Larned 11-1, 9-11; LL Hoisington 9-10, 1-5; 4-12—Lyons; 4-16—at Nickerson; 4-23—Smoky Valley; 4-26—at Halstead; 5-3—at Haven; 5-7—Hesston
LARNED (2-4, 4-4)—WL Lyons 3-0, 7-8; WL Pratt 11-9, 1-11; WW Ellinwood 13-3, 11-0; LL Nickerson 0-10, 2-7; 4-12—Smoky Valley; 4-16—Haven; 4-23—Hillsboro; 4-26—at Hesston; 5-3—Hoisington; 5-7—at Halstead
LYONS (1-5, 1-5)—WL Larned 8-7, 0-3; LL Nickerson 3-13, 0-3; LL Halstead 2-12, 1-11; 4-12—at Pratt; 4-16—Smoky Valley; 4-23—Hesston; 4-26—at Haven; 5-3—at Hillsboro; 5-7—Hoisington
HILLSBORO (1-3, 1-3)—LL Pratt 0-4, 7-10; WL Smoky Valley 15-0, 3-4; 4-12—at Hesston; 4-16—Halstead; 4-18—at Remington; 4-23—at Larned; 4-26—Hoisington; 4-30—Haven; 5-3—Lyons; 5-7—at Nickerson
SMOKY VALLEY (1-5, 1-7)—LL Hesston 4-10, 4-9; LL Hoisington 1-6, 1-11; LL SE Saline 6-10, 5-13; WL Hillsboro 4-3, 0-15; 4-12—at Larned; 4-16—at Lyons; 4-23—at Pratt; 4-26—Nickerson; 5-2—Halstead; 5-7—Haven
