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CROFTON - The Hartington Heat 14U softball team was bounced from the league tournament in three games in action this past week.
The Heat played three games in Crofton on June 20.
They lost the opening game of the tournament to Creighton 10-8, defeated the Albion Attack 7-6 then lost to Summerland 12-10 to post a 9-10-1 season record thus far.
Hartington scored first in the opening inning against Summerland in the final game for the Heat in the tournament, but Summerland came back in the bottom of the first to take a 4-1 advantage.
The Heat tied it up in the top of the second when Addie Simons walked to open the frame, before Brooklyn Peters singled into center field.
Simons stole third before a ground out sent her home and left Peters on second base.
Peters stole third and home on consecutive pitches then Myah Arnold doubled past the second baseman.
Arnold stole third and scored on an error by the Summerland catcher and the game was deadlocked at 4-4.
Unfortunately, Summerland answered with three runs in the bottom of the second, but the Heat responded again with three of their own in the top of the third stanza to make it 7-7, but Summerland plated a run in the bottom of the inning to take an 8-7 lead into the fourth.
Hartington failed to score in the fourth and Summerland added four runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 12-7 advantage into the fifth.
Brynlee Feilmeier opened the Hartington fifth with a single past the second baseman then stole second.
Jacey Folkers came to the plate and singled sending Feilmeier to third.
Nora Lange belted a triple past the right fielder allowing Folkers and Feilmeier to score and Lange stole home to get to within two runs with one out.
Vayda Lippert singled to leave runners at first and second, but a strikeout followed and Lippert was thrown out trying to steal home to end the game with the 12-10 final.
The Heat was in front of the Albion Attack 4-1 as the teams entered the fourth inning. Albion plated three runs to tie it up but Hartington responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth to take a one-run lead.
The Attack scored two in the top of the fifth to take a 6-5 lead and the first two Heat batters struck out to open the fifth and what turned out to be the final frame.
Simons and Peters walked to put runners on first and second.
Natlaee Hart came to the plate and worked a walk, but Simons scored while Hart was at bat, stealing third and home.
Peters then took her turn swiping bases stealing third and home, making the final 60 feet with a 3-2 count and two outs.
In the first game of the tournament against Creighton, the Heat fell behind 10-0 after Creighton’s first turn at the plate.
Hartington spent the rest of the game trying to get back in it and scored seven runs in the third inning, but the Heat was a couple of runs short and time expired.
Hartington continues to prepare for the Class D Nebraska Girls Fastpitch Tournament, July 11-13 in Hastings.
Summerland defeated Hartington Heat 14U 12-10. HAR 1 3 3 0 3 X X - 10 14 0 SUM 4 3 1 4 X X X - 12 11 1 WP: UK LP: Hadley Grutsch. 1B: Vayda Lippert (2), Nora Lange (2), Hadley Grutsch (2), Brynlee Feilmeier, Myah Arnold, Brooklyn Peters, Jacey Folkers, Kiersten Hans, Natlee Hart (H). 2B: Myah Arnold (H). HR: Vayda Lippert (H). Hartington Heat 14U def. Albion 7-6. ALB10032XX-670 HAR01312XX-740 WP: Kiersten Hans LP: UK. 1B: Addie Simons, Hadley Grutsch, Vayda Lippert (H). 2B: Nora Lange (H). Creighton def Hartington Heat 14U 10-8 CRE 10 0 0 X X X X - 10 5 1 HAR107XXXX-880 WP: UK LP: Hadley Grutsch. 1B: Hadley Grutsch, Kiersten Hans, Nora Lange (H). 2B: Addie Simons, Brooklyn Peters (H). 3B: Vayda Lippert (H).
