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HARTINGTON - The Hartington Pony League literally came out of the gate swinging as it opened the season with five straight wins by a combined score of 72-5 and three shutouts.
Hartington opened the season with a win over Ponca, 19-4, back on May 6, and most recently defeated Creighton 5-0 on May 23.
In between those two contests they defeated Crofton 18-0, on May 13; Randolph on May 17, 18-1 and Laurel on May 20, 12-0.
In the win over Creighton, Hartington got all of the runs it needed in the first inning with three.
The Hartington 14U then scored two more in the third frame and relied on starting pitcher, Grady Haberer and pitcher Rylan Fischer, who held Creighton without a hit in the contest while striking out a dozen batters in seven innings of work.
After holding the Creighton hitters scoreless after the top half of the first, Hartington got busy.
Cooper Hochstein got aboard on a Creighton error by the shortstop, then Hudson Whitmire singled past the third base sending Hochstein to third.
Haberer grounded out to third, but Hochstein scored the first run of the game and Whitmire advanced to third.
Micah Cattau stepped to the plate and rifled a double into left field chasing Whitmire home.
Cattau made it to third on a ground out and eventually scored stealing home for the 3-0 lead.
In the third inning, Hochstein opened the Hartington half of the three-out set getting plunked by the Creighton pitcher.
Hochstein stole second before Whitmire hit a line drive to center field for a hit, scoring Hochstein.
Whitmire stole second and Haberer lined a 1-2 pitch past second base to score Whitmire, but a double play ended the threat.
Haberer got the start on the mound and threw four innings of no-hit ball while striking out eight before giving way to Fischer,who tossed three complete while striking out four. Haberer had a couple of walks.
Hartington jumped on Laurel with a couple of runs in opening inning on a huge night at the plate for Haberer.
Haberer was 3-for-4 at the plate including two home runs and a double while driving in four Hartington base runners.
Cattau was also 3-for-4 and hit one homer, drove in three, scored three and pitched four innings of one-hit baseball while striking out 10.
Cattau and Haberer each scored three times in the game, Whitmire scored twice and Fischer, Hudson Dendinger, Teyton Dendinger and Keaton Keiser each scored once.
Hartington was scheduled to go to Creighton on May 28 for a Quad-County League contest before hosting Atkinson on May 30.
The 14u’s will open June traveling to take on Summerland on June 4.
Hartington defeats Creighton 5-0 CRE 000 000 0 - 0 0 3 HAR 302 000 X - 5 6 1 WP: Grady Haberer LP: Wagner.
