The North Platte 80s scored four runs in the seventh inning to take the lead for good on Thursday as they defeated the Trinidad Triggers, 7-4, at Bill Wood Field.

It is the second win in a row for the 80s (2-2) after they defeated the Garden City Wind on Saturday, May 31. North Platte manager Todd Everleth said it’s a good sign that his team was able to follow up wins this early.

“Last year, we struggled to get a run going,” he said. “We didn’t get one going until July. We’ve got a great group of guys here. We recruited well and they’re coming together nicely. I like that we can already put two together.”

In the top of the seventh inning, the Triggers from southern Colorado tied the game at 3-3 when Chris Viamonte got a double off Mike Nestar, who relieved 80s starting pitcher Trevor Nelson, that inning.

But in the bottom of the seventh, Trinidad’s starting pitcher, Alan Ramirez, started to tire as Rico Riley led off with a single and Gustova Rivera drew a walk.

Ramirez was relieved by Saul Samaniego. North Platte took the lead when Sean Bennett hit a line drive single to right field, scoring both Riley and Rivera. It became 6-3 as 6’6″ 270-pound Coby Tweten scored from third base on a double steal with Bennett. Then T.J. Beninati singled to right, scoring another run to make it 7-3.

“We needed to attack and get something going with the guys we had coming up at the plate,” Everleth said. “We needed the magic and we got it tonight.”

Luke Harris came in to pitch for North Platte in the eighth and he held the Triggers scoreless on his birthday. Then in the ninth, Gretna native Cade Herrmann, the only Nebraskan for the 80s, closed it out by only allowing only one run.

“They were hot, they looked great,” Everleth said of Nestar, Harris and Herrmann. “They struggled a little bit with walks. We just had Nestar fly in from Boston and this was his first time on this mound. He did a good job although he let one in. But it was just a tied game, it was no big harm. We had Luke Harris and Cade Herrmann come in and do a good job. It was a good job by our bullpen.”

North Platte wasted no time getting ahead in the first game of the series against Trinidad. Tweten hit a double down the foul line on the third base side to score two in the first inning. Then Bennett reached base on an error to make it 3-0.

“You’ve got to come out hot and let the other team know you’re ready to play,” Everleth said. “The other team came back. That’s the way baseball is but I believed in our bullpen and I believed in our bats and we held them.”

The Triggers got on the board in the second inning when Kyle Jenson hit a one-out single to right. Trinidad pulled within striking distance when Gleyder Abreu hit a two-out single up the middle.

But the 80s remained ahead for the rest of Nelson’s start and they never trailed in the game.

Next, North Platte will host Trinidad for the second game of the series on Friday.

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