SOUTH SIOUX CITY — The Hartington Black Bettys earned a pair of wins in first-round action Friday at the State Class D Girls’ 18-and-under Softball Tournament.
The Hartington team started the tourney off with a 7-3 first-round win over Tri-County of DeWitt.
Hartington then earned a forfeit win over Rising City in second-round action.
Hartington was slated to take on the winner of the Coleridge-Atkinson game at 1:15 Saturday. The winner of that contest will advance to the semifinals on Sunday.
Hartington got off to a slow start against Tri-County.
Hartington pitcher Eden Pinkelman showed some rust in the first inning, hitting two batters and walking two more to help Tri County garner a 2-0 early lead.
Hartington has not played a regulation game since early July.
Hartington’s bats were also a bit rusty in the early going, as none of the team’s top four hitters was able to connect in the first frame.
The bottom of the order came through big for Hartington in the second frame, though.
Shanna Leise led off the second with a solid single. She moved to second when Kelsey Hamilton was hit by a pitch and took third on a wild pitch. Holly Kathol was also hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kristi Jueden then drove in two runs with a two RBI double. Melanie Leise drove in a run with her RBI sngle Kaylee Dump then walked and Liz Kneifl lined a single past the Tri County defense for another RBI. Leise then stole home on a wild pitch and Eden Pinkelman’s single drove in Dump to round out the scoring.
The game became a defensive affair after that. Hartington was not able to plate anymore runners and Tri-County could only muster one more run.
Hartington’s defense made two stellar plays in the fourth inning to keep Tri County off the board. Center fielder Kristi Jueden fielded a single to the out field and gunned the ball to Liz Kneifl on third base for an impressive out. Left fielder Shanna Leise got the final out of the inning when she fielded a single and gunned it home to catcher Kelsey Hamilon who threw Tri County’s runner out at the plate.

WAKEFIELD — Hartington’s 2-1 extra inning District Area 2 win over Dodge-Scribner-Howells sets up a 2:30 p.m. Saturday elimination game showdown against Randolph.
This will be the third meeting of the year between the two teams.
Randolph won the first time the two squads met, but Hartington bounced back to defeat Randolph in the Elkhorn Valley Leage Tournament.
In other action Friday,
Wakefield topped Stanton 3-1 and Pender defeated Randolph 8-1.
West Point also eliminated Ponca-Newcastle 6-4 Friday.

WAKEFIELD — The Hartington American Legion Juniors fell to the loser’s bracket of the Area 2 District Tournament game here with a 3-2 loss to Stanton.

Hartington held the lead most of the game. Stanton drove in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to claim victory.
Stanton’s Pat Campbell came on in relief to earn the win. Brett Klug ended up with the loss.

CREIGHTON — The Hartington American Legion Juniors fell 11-9 to Stanton in a thrilling Elkhorn Valley League Championship game here Saturday.

The Hartington team used a huge eight-run fifth inning barrage to battle back from an 8-1 deficit and claim the lead, 8-9.

Tanner Hagge came on in relief to hold the powerful Musang attack at bay.

HARTINGTON — Hartington’s Felber park hosted the Elkhorn Valley League American Legion Junior and Senior All Star games last week.

Five local athletes competed in the games. Tim Wieseler and Andy Dickes represented the Hartington Seniors. Brett Klug, Ryan Boeckman and Jimmy Thoene made the team for the Hartington Juniors.

The Ralph Bishop Pony League All Star game was slated for Saturday,but was moved to Sunday due to rain.

CREIGHTON — The Hartington American Legion Juniors advanced to the Elkhorn Valley League Championship game with an 11-5 win over Randolph in semifinal round action here Friday.

Hartington is now slated to take on the winner of the  Creighton-Stanton game at 5 p.m. Saturday in the championship game at Creighton.

CREIGHTON — The Hartington American Legion Senior baseball team was bounced from the Elkhorn Valley League tournament Thursday.

The Hartington American Legion Junior team will take on Randolph in second-round tournament action at Creighton Friday. the game is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.

HARTINGTON — The Hartington American Legion Juniors split a pair of games last week.
Hartington defeated Stanton 8-3 here Tuesday but fell to Randolph on the road Thursday.
Coach Rod Hegge’s Juniors spotted Randolph a 10-0 lead before they began chipping away, rallying in the closing innings to put a 13-12 scare into the home Cardinals.
Randolph held on to earn the one-run win, despite having the bases loaded with Hartington runners in the final frame.
Randolph’s Michael Kint blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence in the opening frame to give the Cards the early 2-0 lead. Randolph came back in the second frame, batting around to put up eight more runs and take a 10-0 lead before Hartington’s offense finally got going.

HARTINGTON — For the second week in a row, Hartington’s American Legion Senior baseball team came up short in a pitcher’s dual.
Tim Wieseler faced off against state-known Pat Campbell in Tuesday’s Felber Park Contest.
Wieseler went toe-to-toe with Campbell for much of the game. He did give up a first-inning triple to the powerful Campbell, however.
That hit allowed Stanton to post a 1-0 first inning lead.

HARTINGTON —The Hartington 18-and-under girls’ softball team wound up its regular season with a lopsided 15-3 win over Bloomfield last week.

Hartington is slated to play July 18 at 6:45 p.m. in the Class D State Tournament in South Siux City. The Hartington team will take on Tri-County in its tourney opener. The local team is in the process of scheduling two practice games in an effort to stay sharp for State.

Hartington ends the regular season with a 7-7 record. The local team will participate in the girls Class D State Tournament in South Sioux City beginning July 18.
The Black Betty’s got their offense moving early against Bloomfield, batting around in the first inning to score five runs.

HARTINGTON — The Hartington American Legion Junior baseball team pounded Neligh 10-0 Wednesday in the first round of the Elkhorn Valley League baseball tournament.

The Juniors will now play in Creighton in second-round action.