2025 Nebraska high school state baseball tournament brackets, finals
An unlikely hero almost capped an unlikely championship run for Millard North on Friday night at the Class A baseball tournament.
Then everything changed in the bottom of the seventh inning, and top-ranked Lincoln East emerged with its second title in three years.
Nebraska commit Joey Senstock's sacrifice fly capped a two-run rally as the Spartans posted a 5-4 victory in the final at Werner Park. East finished its seasonlong redemption run after a runner-up finish to Millard West in 2024.
Chase Machal belted a solo homer in the top of the inning to put seventh-seeded Millard North on top 4-3. It was the first home run of the season for Millard North's No. 9 batter, who entered the tourney hitting .211.
But that lead was short lived against the Spartans, ranked No. 1 most of the season.
East coach Mychal Lanik credited fourth-year seniors Senstock, Jeter Worthley and Troy Peltz for rallying the team in the dugout.
"I couldn't even get a word out because my three four-year guys just ran the whole huddle," he said. "They said it's time to go and time to lock in."
Lewis Cockle started the rally with a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Tanner Peterson then put down a bunt that hugged the third-baseline for an infield single, putting runners at first and third.
Peltz, who led off the game with a triple, smacked a double up the left-center field alley to score the tying run. After an intentional walk to Worthley to load the bases, Senstock's sacrifice fly to right that drifted into foul territory down the right-field line brought home the winning run.
"When the situation happens you just have to get the ball in the air," Senstock said. "He threw me two fastballs and I was looking for another heater."
The 33-3 Spartans grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Peltz tripled and came home on an RBI single by Senstock and a wild pitch scored the second run.
East tacked on another run in the second after a leadoff triple from Brodie McIntire and a sacrifice fly from Cockle.
The Mustangs started their comeback in the third inning, when Jackson Smith smacked an RBI single. Millard North tied the game in the sixth with the help of a Spartan error.
With runners on second and third, East starter Kalai Larsen had the runner at third base -- Ripken Fleck -- picked off. Fleck broke for home and scored when the Spartan third baseman dropped the ball.
Alex Michaud then delivered a pinch-hit single to center field, driving home the tying run.
East got a runner to third in the bottom of the inning but Colin Driffill, who came on in relief of starter Wade Spencer, got a grounder to short to end the inning.
That led to the big moment for Machal, who drilled a shot inside the left-field foul pole to ignite the Millard North faithful who endured a rain delay of more than two hours before the game started after 9 p.m.
The Spartans countered with their rally that ended with a dogpile in the infield.
Peltz talked about that dugout chat before the bottom of the seventh.
"I came in and told the team to remember all the cool stuff that we did to get here," he said. "Remember all the tough things we got through to prepare us for this moment."
That two-run rally resulted in another title for East and heartbreak for the 23-13 Mustangs, who were denied the program's third title and first since 2005.
Millard North (23-13) .... 001 002 1 -- 4 6 0
Lincoln East (33-3) ........ 210 000 2 -- 5 6 2
W: Cockle. L: Driffill. 2B: LE, Peltz. 3B: LE, Peltz, McIntire. HR: MN, Machal.
Photos: 2025 Nebraska high school state baseball championships