NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. - Things looked bleak for Nebraska City Tuesday afternoon when it was down to its final six outs with zero hits on the board all while trailing top-ranked Omaha Skutt Catholic 3-0. What happened next propelled the Pioneers to their biggest win of the season. 

In the sixth inning, Nebraska City (4-6) sent 14 batters to the plate, scoring 10 runs on six hits against four Skyhawk pitchers to take a seven-run lead before holding on for a 10-6 victory at Clemmy Holmes Field. 

The decisive bottom of the sixth began with Nolan Beccard reaching on an error. Cael Kreifel then followed with a single--the Pioneers first hit of the game--before Keston Holman delivered an RBI single which chased Skyhawks starter Dominic Bentley and made it a 3-1 game.

Evan Eich came on in relief and walked the only two batters he faced on eight pitches prompting a second pitching change for Skutt. The Skyhawks (5-3) went to ace Cade Christensen, but he too proved ineffective after giving up a walk followed by back-to-back run-scoring singles which gave Nebraska City the lead.

But the big blow came with Nebraska City leading 7-3 when Kreifel belted a 3-run homer into the crosswind over the left field wall making it 10-3, Pioneers with just one out. 

Nebraska City head coach Kyle Ferguson said he didn't think anyone would be able to hit anything out to left with the wind, but Kreifel did just that with a no-doubter that he was able to admire before beginning his trot around the bases. The home run essentially put the game out of reach. 

"When it left the bat, I knew it had a chance," Ferguson said of Kreifels homer. "It was kind of the staple that finished a nice win." 

In fact, it was Ferguson's first win as the head coach over the Skyhawks. 

Lost in the big sixth inning was the tremendous pitching performance from right-hander Zac Hawley. Hawley pitched into the seventh, recording one out before giving way to Sloan Pelican to finish the game. 

The junior struck out five while throwing 108 pitches. In a previous start Ferguson said Hawley got fatigued around 75 pitches and actually thought about pulling him in the fifth against Skutt, but Hawley reassured his coach he could continue. 

"The game he threw was his game to go out and try to finish," Ferguson said. "As a coaching staff we decided he felt good, he wanted to go, and we put the ball in his hands." 

It was 0-0 game after four innings before Skutt scraped across three runs in the top of the fifth. A leadoff walk followed by a single from Joe Connolly set up Christensen for an RBI single. Christensen would later score on a Gage Guenther single to make it 3-0. 

It was all Nebraska City from there, though. 

The Pioneers have won two straight against ranked opponents and have more on the upcoming schedule. Ferguson said his team needed to believe it could win a game like they did Tuesday and felt in years past his teams had doubts about their abilities.

But not anymore.

"We are a good enough baseball team," Ferguson said. "We've got a shot every time we step on the field."

Thats what a big win can do, and it helps playing a challenging schedule. Which Ferguson hopes leads to his team playing at the state tournament.

"At the end of the year, we want to play in Omaha."

A win over No. 1 Skutt is a step in the right direction.

Box Score: 

Skutt (5-3): 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 3 - 6, 7, 2

Nebraska City (4-6): 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 10 - 10, 7, 1