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NELIGH - The Hartington Pony League 14U baseball team completed an undefeated march through the regular season and tournament of the Quad County League here with a come-from-behind walk-off thriller in the finals over Neligh 4-3.
Rylan Fischer stepped to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and final inning with two outs and a runner on base. Fischer promptly launched a ball over the left center field fence for a game-winning walkoff homer to propel his team to a 4-3 win over Neligh.
Fischer started the game on the mound for Hartington in the second game of the double elimination tournament and didn’t have his best outing, according to his coach.
“Rylan didn’t have his best day on the bump, but he didn’t hang his head and pout,” Hartington Pony coach Cale Haberer said. “He kept grinding and delivered when his team needed him most.”
Although Fischer didn’t have his best stuff, he only allowed three runs to Neligh and kept his team in it while they figured out the Neligh pitcher.
Haberer turned to Hudson Whitmire on the hill and Whitmire held Neligh in check the rest of the way.
Whitmire also opened the fateful sixth with a hit then stole second and third while Neligh recorded a couple of outs on a strikeout and a deep fly ball caught at the warning track setting up Fischer’s heroics.
Neligh scored a pair of runs in the top of the first, but Hartington answered in its half of the opening frame with a run of its own.
Cooper Hochstein opened the Hartington half with a single up the middle then stole second and advanced to third and home on an error by the Neligh second baseman. Hartington tied the game in the second when Fischer worked a walk. Abram Steffen was put in to run for Fischer as a courtesy runner.
Hudson Dendinger clobbered a double into right field which scored Steffen and evened the score 2-2.
Neligh regained the lead in the third before the Hartington Ponies answered in the final inning.
In the first game with Neligh in the double elimination tournament, Hartington scored first with a run in the bottom of the opening frame.
Neligh plated four runs in its half of the third, but Hartington tied it up in the bottom of the inning with three run.
Neligh grabbed the lead in the fifth with a run but Hartington erupted for six big runs in the bottom of the fifth to take control of the game.
Cody Edwards, Mark Heimes, Micah Cattau, Haberer, Whitmire and Hochstein all scored in the fifth with Whitmire belting a homer and the Hartington Ponies gathering six singles in the half inning.
Cattau pitched a gem on the mound to get the win.
“Micah was dominant,” Haberer said. “I’ve seen him pitch a lot over the years but that was the best I’ve ever seen him pitch.” Cattau recorded 16 strikouts in the 18 outs for Neligh in the game.
Hochstein was 3-for-3 at the plate and scored three times.
“We had a couple of blunders defensively,” said Haberer. “Overall we played a really solid game.”
In the opening game of the tournament, Hartington jumped on Plainview with five runs in the bottom of the first, added three in the second and put the game away with four in the third to take the 12-1 win in a game shortened by a run-rule.
“The tournament couldn’t have started any better,” Haberer said. “Grady (Haberer) shined on the mound and at the plate. We played a really nice game where a lot of players got to contribute.”
Grady Haberer went the distance on the hill allowing just two hits, one run (unearned), walking only one and striking out seven.
At the plate, he was a perfect 3-for-3 with six RBI’s and scored three times.
Whitmire was also 3-for-3 with 2 RBI’s and scored twice.
The Hartington 14-and-under Pony League team finished the season with a stellar 17-2 record including Copy
14-0 in Quad County League play.
“I’m very proud of this team,” Coach Haberer said. “It has a bit of everything. There are a few star players, some great pitchers, some solid guys and some are working hard to get better. The best thing about them is they are good kids and great teammates.”
Cattau and Haberer will play one more game as they were selected to represent Hartington in the Quad County All-Star Game July 19 in Plainview.
Hartington 14U defeats Neligh 4-3. N201000X-341 H110002X-440 WP: Hudson Whitmire LP: Lucas 2B: Hudson Dendinger (H); Tyson (N). HR: Rylan Fischer (H). Hartington 14U defeats Neligh 10-5. N004010-542 H 1 0 3 0 6 X - 10 10 2 WP: Micah Cattau LP: Cooper. 2B: Jase (N). HR: Hudson Whitmire (H). Hartington 14U defeats Plainview 12-1 P0100XX-122 H534XXX-1292 WP: Grady Haberer LP: C. Hoffman. HR: Grady Haberer (2) (H).
