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HARTINGTON — Hartington Post 4 opened Ralph Bishop League play with the kind of week that can set the tone for a summer.
Post 4 picked up three league wins in six days, using strong pitching, one big late-game rally and a clutch week from Laurel-Concord-Coleridge athlete Koby Detlefsen to stay unbeaten.
Detlefsen helped drive the offense in Hartington’s 12-5 win over Plainview June 1 at Felber Park, going 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs, a walk and a run scored.
He also picked up the win on the mound three days earlier as Post 4 edged Wayne Post 43 Rolling Hills Supply 4-2 in a key early North Division matchup.
Hartington also rolled to an 8-0 road win over Pierce May 27, with Breiton Whitmire and Hunter Bensen combining on a no-hitter.
The three wins pushed Post 4 to 4-0 on the young season.
Plainview gave Hartington its biggest challenge of the week, building a 4-1 lead through three innings at Felber Park.
Post 4 answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game, then matched Plainview with a run in the fifth before breaking the game open with seven runs in the sixth.
The sixth inning started quietly when Gavin Klug worked a walk and Hudson Whitmire singled on a 3-1 pitch.
Breiton Whitmire reached on a Plainview error, allowing Klug to score and putting Hudson Whitmire on third.
Tate Fischer followed with a single past third base to score Hudson Whitmire, and Bensen singled up the middle to score Breiton Whitmire.
Detlefsen then put the ball in play and reached on another Plainview error, allowing Fischer to score and keeping the inning moving.
Grady Haberer reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases.
Bensen scored on a wild pitch, Detlefsen came home on a catcher’s error and Haberer later scored on a Klug groundout to stretch the lead to 12-5.
Breiton Whitmire made sure the lead held up, sitting Plainview down in order in the seventh with two strikeouts and a line-drive out to left field.
Detlefsen led Hartington with three RBIs in the win. Fischer and Bensen each collected two hits, while Sam Wiebelhaus drove in two runs.
Hartington opened the week May 27 with a dominant pitching performance at Pierce.
Breiton Whitmire started and threw four no-hit innings, striking out 10 before giving way to Bensen in the fifth.
Bensen finished off the combined no-hitter, striking out three and walking one.
Wiebelhaus clobbered a home run and drove in two runs, while Breiton Whitmire and Haberer each scored twice.
Detlefsen also reached base twice in the win, going 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.
Hartington followed that up with a 4-2 win over Wayne May 29 in a matchup of two Ralph Bishop League North Division teams looking for an early edge.
Post 4 struck quickly, scoring three runs in the first inning.
Back-to-back singles by Breiton Whitmire and Fischer opened the inning before Bensen drove a triple into the right-field corner to score both runners.
Detlefsen then did his job at the plate, driving in Bensen on a groundout to give Hartington a 3-0 lead.
Wayne plated two runs in the fourth, but Post 4 added an insurance run in the fifth and held on for the win.
Detlefsen earned the pitching win, while Brady Hochstein came on in relief to record the save.
Hartington was scheduled to return to action June 3 at South Sioux City before coming home for a tournament featuring Dakota Valley, Parkston, Renner and Seward.
Hartington 12, Plainview 5 PLV (1-1) 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 — 5 5 6 HAR (4-0) 1 0 0 3 1 7 x — 12 10 4 WP: Breiton Whitmire. LP: Chase Thomas. 2B: Wyatt Schroth (P); Koby Detlefsen (H). Hartington leaders: Tate Fischer 2-3, 2 runs, RBI; Hunter Bensen 2-4, 2 runs, RBI; Koby Detlefsen 2-3, double, 3 RBIs, run, walk; Sam Wiebelhaus 1-3, 2 RBIs, walk; Hudson Whitmire 1-2, 2 runs. Hartington 4, Wayne 2 WAY (4-1) 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 — 2 6 1 HAR300 010x—4 WP: Koby Detlefsen. LP: Adrian Contreras. Save: Brady Hochstein.
3B: Hunter Bensen (H). HR: Drew Reinhardt (W). Hartington leaders: Tate Fischer 2-3, run, RBI; Hunter Bensen 1-3, triple, run, 2 RBIs; Koby Detlefsen RBI; Grady Haberer 1-3. Hartington 8, Pierce 0 HAR (4-0) 1 5 2 0 0 — 8 6 1 PIE (0-4) 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 1 WP: Breiton Whitmire. LP: Bode Sweeney. 2B: Easton Hochstein (H). HR: Sam Wiebelhaus (H). Hartington leaders: Breiton Whitmire 2 runs, 2 walks; Tate Fischer 1-3, run, RBI; Koby Detlefsen 1-2, run, walk; Grady Haberer 2 runs; Easton Hochstein 1-2, double, RBI; Sam Wiebelhaus 1-1, home run, 2 RBIs.
