GERING, Neb. - For the Hastings Sodbusters, a slew of possibilities came with the results of league action on Sunday. Little did the Sodbusters know, ace starter Shay Schanaman (SO/Nebraska) would make history with the team’s first no-hitter in its three-year existence. The bats were also lively in the 7-0 Sodbuster victory over rival Western Nebraska at Oregon Trail Park Stadium.

Schanaman, who made his fifth start of the season, continued his dominating 2020 campaign in the Expedition League. With 10 strikeouts against the Pioneers on Sunday, Schanaman boosted his league-leading strikeout total to 42, nine ahead of the Trappers’ Ethan Skuija (33). Along with the 10 strikeouts, Schanaman also made his third straight start without allowing a run, lowering his ERA to a remarkable 1.10 in 24.2 IP, which also leads the league. 

Along with the historic night for Schanaman, the victory for the Sodbusters (12-10) and a Fremont Moo (12-11) loss put the Sodbusters at sole possession of first place in the Clark Division, and a tie for first place in the Expedition League with the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs (12-9). The Pioneers (10-14) fall to three games behind Hastings in a tightly-contested Clark Division.

Through the first three innings, both Schanaman and Pioneers’ starter Jace Hansen went toe-to-toe, allowing no hits and only three total baserunners. 

In the fourth inning, Griffin Everitt (SO/Kansas City Kansas CC) reached on an error by the third baseman to leadoff the inning, an error that would come back to haunt Hansen three batters later when Grant Schmidt (JR/Fort Hays State) hit a two-out home run to put the Sodbusters ahead 2-0 and chase Hansen from the game. 

Cameron Skinner came into the game in relief of Hansen after the Schmidt home run, but would struggle, giving up a double to Braden Sellon (FR/Southeast CC) and an RBI-single to Darek Bornemeier (JR/Augustana) for a 3-0 Sodbusters lead after the fourth inning.

The Sodbusters kept it going in the fifth inning, as Dylan Herd (FR/Southeastern Oklahoma State) got a one-out single to get the bats going in the inning. Herd got to second on a pickoff attempt, but would be joined on the bases by Casey Burnham (SO/Kansas) after he was walked. Tayten Tredaway (FR/Seminole State) would get Herd in with a two-out single to put the Sodbusters ahead 4-0. 

Burnham would get his league-leading 21st walk to lead off the seventh inning, which also marked the end of the line for Skinner in favor of Harold Baez, who started his night with an RBI-double to Everitt that made it a 5-0 Sodbusters advantage.

In the final inning, the Sodbusters added two more runs after a one-out single from Tredaway led to a two-run home run for Ryan McDonald (SO/South Dakota State) off Seth Kuykendall to give the Sodbusters a 7-0 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Schanaman started the inning with a groundout by Tyler Baca, arguably the hardest out for Schanaman of the day, but followed up with a four pitch walk. A wild pitch got Baca into scoring position before Cody Kehl sent a ball deep to right field, but just in reach of McDonald’s glove. 

The no-hitter was completed after Schanaman induced a grounder to Herd at shortstop who got it across the diamond to Tredaway and the 7-0 victory.

The Sodbusters and the Pioneers will be in action again on Monday at 7:35 CST at Oregon Trail Park Stadium. 

To buy the Expedition League TV Pass and watch all of the Sodbusters games when they are on the road, or if you are unable to make it to the beautiful and historic Duncan Field when the Sodbusters are home, go to https://portal.stretchinternet.com/expleague/.