Bellevue Fire Extinguishes Offutt Security; Wins Sarpy Slugfest
PAPILLION, NE – Spectators from around Sarpy County filed into the confines of Werner Park, a stadium generally home to professional baseball players. On Sunday, the AAA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and their visiting opponents were replaced by a different kind of professional. The home of the 2013 and 2014 AAA Champions played host to the finale of the 2024 Sarpy County Slugfest- an annual tournament featuring first response and other public safety agencies in the area raising funds for Lift Up Sarpy County.
As fans arrived ahead of the Slugfest’s Championship Game between the Bellevue Fire Department and the 2023 Champion, Offutt Security, they were greeted first by the event’s inaugural homerun derby. The derby featured players from Bellevue Fire, Bellevue Police, Offutt Security and both Federal and State Probation. Family, friends and softball fans watched as sluggers lofted softball’s over the 258 foot fence installed by Werner Park for the event. It was Federal Probation’s Dylan Rotert taking home the trophy with his thirteen home runs, outpacing Bellevue Fire’s Nathan Schenck and Sarpy Probation’s Reece Post, who hit ten each.
Post was able to overlook coming up short. With the event-required sponsor, Post’s ten home runs donated $100 to Lift Up Sarpy “It means a lot to me, its for a great cause, help the families here in Sarpy County and the community right here in our backyard, I was happy to come out and participate today.” Post adds the home-run derby helped fulfill a lifelong dream of his to play on a professional field.
It wasn’t just the loud bats of the derby making noise on the field Sunday. When the left-field scoreboard read 2:30, each dugout sprung to life. Despite Werner Park playing host to the Slugest for the first time, and Bellevue Fire Department (BFD) never appearing in the event before, BFD found calm amidst the bright lights of the AAA field. The Fire Department had emerged victorious over Offutt earlier in the tournament. Shortstop Mason Ingram said the team in their red slugfest t-shirts felt a calm sense of familiarity. “We kind of knew what to expect, knew which guys were going to place the ball and where and it helped us out in the long run.”
Familiarity turned into confidence when Travis Fowler took the mound against the reigning champions. His quick, scoreless inning sparked the feeling of tenacity and toughness that had gotten them to this point. And runs, too. Following his performance in the homerun derby, Schenck got the scoring started for the visiting BFD. His first inning single plated the first run of the afternoon, putting Offutt starting pitcher Manny Baker in a tough position early.
It didn’t take long for Baker to get help from the offense that had taken last year’s tournament by storm. Marts sent a ball over the left-field fence, giving Offutt a 2-1 lead in the home half of the second inning. After each team flashed their offensive firepower, the crack of the bat subsided to the sounds of balls finding gloves and defenders stepping on bags for force outs. With dazzling defense, the score remained tight but the crowd grew enamored, particularly with the glove and arm of shortstop Ingram, though again for the local shortstop, calmness and comfort stood out on the professional diamond. “Grew up playing baseball, middle infield, it was nice, something I’ve done before.”
Offutt eventually solved the Bellevue defense and extended their lead with an RBI single off the bat of Darriyon Wilson, making it a 3-1 affair headed to the fourth inning. Not to be outhit, Bellevue hitters, Nathan Schenck and Andrew Lomax, deposited back to back pitches over the outfield fence, erasing the Offutt advantage.
While Ingram showed off his defensive prowess, it was his bat giving the Fire Department a 4-3 lead on his solo shot to end the fourth inning barrage. Offutt again called on Wilson to neutralize Bellevue’s crooked numbers, this time slapping a double to drive in Alex Harness. Wilson would come around to score on a sacrifice fly, jumping Offutt back in front 5-4 in the fifth.
Bellevue would answer back. Center fielder, Troy Nawrocki, a finalist in the homerun derby, clubbed a three-run-homer deep over the left-field wall to regain the lead in the home half of the inning. With a 7-5 lead, Fowler was able to settle in on the mound and silence the Offutt bats, giving his offense the confidence to add to their lead. Grant Matthies’ sixth inning homer served as a huge insurance run, but just the beginning of the BFD separation.
Nawrocki sent his second homerun over the fence, giving him RBI numbers four, five and six on the afternoon to make it a 12-5 lead. “Looked good, just playing the game out there, having fun. We all had a good time, perfect weather, perfect day, couldn’t change it.” Shockwaves rattled around the seats of Werner Park as many wondered if BFD had done enough to knock off the defending champions. Defending they were, as Offutt battled to the final out. Delgado’s shot cut the lead to 12-9 before the final out was recorded and Bellevue Fire celebrated their first championship in program history.
As Bellevue celebrated their title, taking pictures with family, friends, and the gaudy Slugfest trophy, they weren’t the only ones feeling victorious. Jake Garner donated his time on both Saturday and Sunday, serving as an umpire each day, joining his dad, Bill, in calling balls and strikes. “This event means the world to me, I’m always thrilled to be able to help with a great cause.” Garner isn’t the only one circling their calendar for next year’s Slugfest, Ingram told reporters after the game that he and Bellevue Fire will definitely be participating next season.
This time with a championship to defend, and even more confidence.