Baseball: Ogallala Juniors fall to North Platte on Monday, July 6th, 2026

(Photo credit: "Baseball Action Scene" Images in Media from Wix on Wix.com )

By: Evan Troxel

The North Platte Post 163 Junior Legion Baseball team defeated the Ogallala Adams Insurance Advisors Junior Legion Baseball team 11 to 4 on Monday, July 6th, 2026, at the Ogallala American Legion Field in Ogallala, Nebraska.

Braxton Arensdorf shut down Ogallala (and held them scoreless) on the pitching mound for five innings and that was enough to propel North Platte to the win.

Arensdorf pitched 6 1/3 innings giving up 7 hits, 3 runs, one earned run, one hit batter and just five strikeouts.

Michael Lesmes walked a batter, allowed a run and got the next two batters out to end the game in 2/3 of an inning.

Ogallala's top offensive player on Monday was Luke Minster. He went 2 for 4 with two singles, one RBI. Carter Van Winkle scored a run for Luke Minster.

Ogallala had seven pitchers pitch on Monday all each at the start of each inning to get them prepared for the District Tournament which starts on Friday, July 10th, 2026, in Minden.

Ogallala also moved people around to play various positions based on whoever was pitching and where each player normally plays.

Keegan Florom had a 1-2-3 scoreless second inning on the mound for Ogallala and Jonah Saner only allowed one baserunner and he also had a scoreless third inning for Ogallala on the pitching mound.

For North Platte on the offensive side of things, Braxton Arensdorf also reached base four times and scored all four times in five plate appearances. He went 0 for 1 officially.

He was hit by the pitch in his first and final plate appearance of the game. He also walked in his third and fourth plate appearances.

Jaiven Wescoat went 2 for 2 with a double and a single, and he got hit by the pitch once and walked once.

Wescoat scored twice and he also had three RBI's and his final plate appearance of the game was a sacrifice fly to center field, which scored North Platte's final run of the game.

North Platte scored twice in the first inning, four times in the fourth inning, once in the fifth inning, and three times in the top of the sixth inning to lead 10-0.

Ogallala then scored three in the bottom of the sixth inning, North Platte answered with one in the top of the seventh and Ogallala scored one in the bottom of the seventh inning.

North Platte scored 11 runs, five hits, one defensive error and nine people left on-base.

For Ogallala, they scored four runs, had seven hits, they committed six defensive errors and left five people on-base.

To start the top of the first inning, Braxton Arensdorf got hit by a pitch by Ogallala's Levi Nolt. Then, Jaiven Wescoat doubled to right center field and North Platte led 1-0.

After a groundout to Ogallala shortstop Keegan Florom, by Conner Krajewski advancing Wescoat to third base, Dominick Holmes hit a grounder to third baseman Porter Tjaden and the baseball went under Tjaden's glove and Westcoat scored from third base and North Platte led 2-0.

Levi Nolt then struck out Michael Lesmes looking and got Easton Bryant to ground out to shortstop.

In the bottom of the first inning, Daniel Dowdy struck out swinging for Ogallala.

Then, Keegan Florom popped out on the third base side to the North Platte pitcher Braxton Arensdorf.

Luke Minster then popped out to the center field Sam Lake.

In the top of the second inning, North Platte's Levi Charter popped up to second baseman Jonah Saner, Jace Freeze grounded out to first baseman Daniel Dowdy, and Bryson Swedberg popped out in foul territory on the third base side to Ogallala pitcher Keegan Florom.

In the bottom of the second inning, Levi Nolt struck out looking for Ogallala and Porter Tjaden hit a ground ball single deep in the hole between third base and shortstop.

Jonah Saner then hit a sacrifice bunt which advanced Tjaden to second base and then Joey Kupper popped out to the center fielder Sam Lake to end the inning.

In the top of the third inning, Braxton Arensdorf line out to left fielder Richard Handy, Jaiven Wescoat got hit by a pitch, Conner Krajewski lined out to left field and then Dominick Holmes hit a grounder to the Ogallala third baseman.

It was another 1-2-3 inning for Braxton Arensdorf in the bottom of the third inning as Ogallala's Lou Menotti grounded out to second baseman Easton Bryant, Richard Handy lined out to left fielder Jaiven Wescoat and Daniel Dowdy hit a soft line drive to the first baseman Jace Freeze.

North Platte still led 2 to 0.

In the top of the fourth inning, Michael Lesmes reached on a fielding error by left fielder Richard Handy. Easton Bryant then hit a fly ball to center fielder Keegan Florom.

Levi Charter then walked which forced Lesmes to second base.

North Platte's Jace Freeze then flied out to right field and Lesmes advanced to third on the play.

Michael Lesmes then scored on a pickoff attempt of Adams Peters (for Levi Charter) at first base and Peters advanced to third base.

Peters then scored on a wild pitch and North Platte led 4 to 0.

Bryson Swedberg walked for North Platte and then advanced to second base and third base on wild pitches.

Braxton Arensdorf walked and stole second base while Swedberg had a delayed steal of home and North Platte led 5 to 0.

Arensdorf advanced to third on a throwing error on the same play by the Ogallala shorstop Jonah Saner I believe.

Jaiven Wescoat had a single on a line drive to left field and Arensdorf scored and North Platte led 6 to 0.

Conner Krajewski then grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Keegan Florom popped out to Levi Charter the catcher behind the right-handed batter's box in foul territory.

Then, Luke Minster singled on a ground ball down the left field line but got thrown out when left fielder Jaiven Wescoat threw it to Easton Bryant at second base.

Levi Nolt got hit by a pitch and stole second base. Porter Tjaden then struck out swinging for Ogallala.

In the top of the fifth inning, Dominick Holmes got hit by a pitch for North Platte. Then, he advanced to second base on a stolen base.

Michael Lesmes then flied out to center fielder Keegan Florom. Easton Bryant then singled to center field and Holmes scored and North Platte led 7 to 0.

After a pop out to shortstop by Levi Charter, Jace Freeze walked. Bryson Swedberg then grounded out to the Ogallala second baseman to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Jonah Saner flied out to center fielder Sam Lake. Then, Joey Kupper singled on a line drive to left field.

Lou Menotti then hit a grounder to second and Kupper was forced out at second base for the second out of the inning.

Evan Heilman then got what I believe was his first at bat this season in Ogallala in an actual game and he struck out swinging.

North Platte then scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Braxton Arensdorf walked and stole second base and third base he also stole on defensive indifference.

Jaiven Wescoat then walked.

Conner Krajewski then a sacrifice fly RBI to center field and North Platte led 8 to 0.

Wescoat then stole second base. He then scored on a Lucas Tabares single to right field.

North Platte led 9 to 0.

Michael Lesmes then popped out behind the pitcher's mound to the Ogallala third baseman.

Easton Bryant then walked and Tabares advanced to second base.

Adam Peters and Jace Freeze also walked and Tabares scored as a result and North Platte led 10 to 0.

Bryson Swedberg then struck out swinging to end the top of the sixth inning.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Daniel Dowdy struck out swinging.

Then, Keegan Florom singled to left center field. He advanced to second base on a wild pitch.

Luke Minster then singled on a Texas Leaguer to right center field and Florom scored from second base and Ogallala trailed 10 to 1 at that point.

Carter Van Winkle then courtesy ran for Luke Minster.

Levi Nolt then singled to left field. After a pop up to the first baseman by Porter Tjaden, Jonah Saner singled on a ground ball to the shortstop and the bases were loaded for Ogallala!

With two outs in the inning, Joey Kupper hit into a fielder's choice, the shortstop Bryson Swedberg to Adam Peters.

Unfortunately for North Platte, the play was a throwing error by the shortstop and it continued the game for another inning because of the eight-run mercy rule which Ogallala overcame before the end of the bottom of the sixth inning.

Lou Menotti then grounded out to first to end the inning.

After six inning, North Platte led Ogallala 10 to 3.

In the top of the seventh inning, Braxton Arensdorf got hit by the pitch. Then he advanced to second base on a passed ball and to third base on a wild pitch (I guess, it could have been a passed ball instead).

Jaiven Westcoat then hit a fly ball to center field and Arensdorf scored on the sacrifice fly and North Platte led 11 to 3.

Conner Krajewski then singled on a ground ball to second baseman. A throwing error by the Ogallala second baseman resulted in Krajewski being on second base.

The Ogallala pitcher, Grant Gloy, then got Lucas Tabares to strike out swinging and he also got Michael Lesmes to ground out to Ogallala third baseman Porter Tjaden to end the top of the seventh inning.

To start the bottom of the seventh inning, Braxton Arensdorf struck out Evan Heilman swinging for the first out.

Michael Lesmes then came in to pitch for North Platte and he allowed Daniel Dowdy to walk.

Jerzy Wolicki courtesy ran for Dowdy and advanced to second base and third base on wild pitches.

Then, Keegan Florom hit a fly ball to Jaiven Wescoat the left fielder and Wolicki easily scored on the sacrifice fly.

Luke Minster then popped out to the North Platte first baseman (in foul territory I believe) and North Platte won by a final score of 11 to 4.

North Platte improved to 7-17 on the season while Ogallala fell to a won-lost record of 9-16.

For Ogallala on the pitching side of things, every Ogallala pitcher threw one inning pitched.

Levi Nolt gave up one hit, two runs, one earned run and had one strikeout.

Keegan Florom pitched one inning and gave up no runs.

Jonah Saner hit a batter and gave up no runs.

Daniel Dowdy gave up four runs on just one hit and he walked three batters.

Evan Heilman gave up one run, one earned run and he walked one batter and hit one batter.

Porter Tjaden gave up three runs, one hit, five walks and struck out one batter.

Grant Gloy gave up one hit, gave up one run, hit one batter and struck out one batter.

For North Platte on the offensive side of things, Lucas Tabares went 1 for 2 with one run and one RBI.

Dominick Holmes went 0 for 2 with one run scored. He also drove in one run but it doesn't count as an official RBI.

Easton Bryant went 1 for 3 with one RBI.

Conner Krajewski went 1 for 4 with one RBI.

Jace Freeze went 0 for 2 with one RBI.

Bryson Swedberg went 0 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.

Michael Lesmes went 0 for 4 with one run scored.

Adam Peters walked in his only plate appearance. Peters also scored a run for Levi Charter.

Levi Charter went 0 for 2 and walked twice.

For Ogallala, Keegan Florom went 1 for 3 with a run scored in four plate appearances.

Levi Nolt went 1 for 2 with a hit by pitch and scored one run.

Daniel Dowdy went 0 for 3 with a walk. Jerzy Wolicki scored one run for him.

Porter Tjaden and Joey Kupper each went 1 for 3 while Jonah Saner went 1 for 2.

Richard Handy went 0 for 1.

Evan Heilman went 0 for 2 and didn't hit into any double or triple plays.

Lou Menotti went 0 for 3 and reached base once. He hit into zero double or triple plays.

North Platte traveled to Scottsbluff for a Junior Legion doubleheader today on Tuesday, July 7th, 2026. The North Platte Senior Legion team hosted Scottsbluff today for a doubleheader.

Ogallala will travel to Minden for the Junior Legion Area District Tournament from July 10th through July 14th. Then winner of the Area District Tournament will head to the State Tournament.

Ogallala will have two more Legion Baseball home games in Ogallala this season. Sidney will play Ogallala in a Senior Legion doubleheader on Friday, July 17th.

Then, Ogallala travels to Gering for a doubleheader on July 19th.

The Senior Legion Area District Tournament will be on July 24th through July 28th. The winner of the Senior Legion Area District Tournament will head to the State Tournament.