After wild card entry, varsity baseball strikes out at state tournament
Westside’s baseball team enters a huddle during senior night
The Westside varsity baseball season came to an end with back to back losses in the state tournament at Werner Park. The Warriors were eliminated after losing to Creighton Prep and Lincoln Southeast in the first two rounds.
The Warriors earned a wild-card berth to the state tournament and finished with a 18-16 record. It was the school’s first appearance in the postseason since 2017. Westside head coach Otis Seals expressed that his team struggled during the state tournament this year.
“We definitely struggled at state,” Seals said. “It was the first time that any of our kids have played in that tournament and in that environment, and you could certainly tell. I was still proud of the toughness they showed, especially in the Prep game. We got down early, but they didn’t give up and made a push at the end of the game.”
The Warriors faced off against rival Creighton Prep in the first round of the state tournament. Prep came out strong scoring four runs in just the first inning. Dalton Bargo led a Westside comeback with four hits, including a pair of doubles. The Junior Jays went on to score five more runs to defeat Westside 9-4. The Warriors faced Lincoln Southeast in the loser’s bracket, where they were eliminated 14-5. Sophomore outfielder Nick Anglim says that pitching was the biggest struggle during the tournament.
“Pitching was an extreme struggle in the state tournament which wasn’t one in the past which came as a surprise,” Anglim said. “Hitting in big moments and taking team at bats could’ve helped us out a lot.”With many powerful seniors such as Bargo, Jackson Yeager, RJ Gunderson and Jack Wimmer graduating, Anglim says underclassmen are going to have to step up next year to make another state appearance.
“Next year we are gonna look to seek some leadership from returning sophomore starters and from some returning juniors in the bullpen,” Anglim said. “But next year overall we look to get back to the state tourney and do more damage than we did this year.”
`The Warriors will continue their season this summer as they head into the American Legion schedule with their sponsor K.B. Building Services.
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