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HARTINGTON - The Hartington American Legion Post 4 Juniors grabbed a spot in this weekend’s Nebraska Class C Junior American Legion baseball tournament with a win over Plainview July 15.
Hartington methodically took down Plainview in the finals of the tournament, eventually coming away with an 8-0 win in a six-inning game called by the eight-run rule in that sixth frame.
“Yea, we expected to be where we are, but you're never comfortable until the final out," said Hartington skipper, Don Whitmire. “We’ve been thinking about getting back to state since last year. Now we’ve made it and we are ready to take care of business when we get there." Post 4 has won 12 of its last 13 games, including a run to the Ralph Bishop League championship over highly regarded Wayne and West Point in the division and league title games.
The main weapon in Whitmire’s arsenal is arguably pitching, which was on full display Tuesday evening.
Easton Hochstein went the distance, allowing just three hits on the night, walking two and striking out 10.
“I know my job is to just throw strikes," said Hochstein. "It's really kind of simple, I know my guys will field everything hit towards them, and tonight they sure did." Hochstein felt comfortable all night.
"Some nights things just feel good. I have my o days and when I do I know my team is behind me," he said. "I felt really good tonight, things were really on. Now we just need to keep it going when we go down to state." Meanwhile, the Post 4 oense was pounding out 13 hits on the way to the eight runs, starting with two in the first inning.
Plainview did have a good start at the plate. Kohen Lingenfelter slapped a single past second base with one out
in the top of the first, but Hartington catcher, Sam Wiebelhaus threw him out trying to steal second base and the threat was extinguished.
Hartington came to bat in the bot- tom of the inning and Tate Fischer rifled a single to left field with one out, but he was thrown out trying to steal third base by Plainview catcher, Kaleb Gardner.
Hunter Bensen then singled back up the middle before Grady Haberer singled to left field.
Plainview had trouble getting the ball back into the infield and Bensen made it all the way around the bases to score the first run of the game and Haberer was standing on third base.
Drey Puppe worked a walk for Post 4 and Haberer would score on a wild pitch and the inning ended with Hartington in front, 2-0.
"We have taken advantage of other teams' mistakes all year," said Whit mire. “We play baseball, we don’t play an opponent. Baseball is baseball and you never know what is going to hap- pen and you have to take advantage of your opportunities."
“We competed with these guys tonight," said Plainview coach Kale Fulton. "Earlier in the year they beat us like 16-2 or something like that, but we just kept after it and kept improving. Honestly, this should have been a 4-2 type of ball game.
Plainview hasn’t really been known as a baseball town, but we’re trying to change that. We got into the Ralph Bishop League and we’re trying to upgrade across the board. I feel like we did that this year." Fulton was also quick to point out, they just played a really good team.
"Hats o to them, they are a very good team, probably one of the top two in the state," the coach said.
“Their kids do a great job and Don Whitmire knows what he’s doing, they just have all the pieces. We’re getting there."
The teams played evenly and the
score remained 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth.
Wiebelhaus opened the Harting- ton half of the fifth with a double into left field then Gavin Klug made it back-to-back two-baggers with a lined shot to right field which scored courtesy runner, Keaton Keiser.
Hudson Whitmire stepped to the plate and deposited a single into right to score Klug and Whitmire ended up on second base on the throw back to the infield.
Whitmire advanced to third on a wild pitch then scored on a Hunter Bensen sacrifice fly and the teams went to the sixth with Post 4 in command, 5-0.
Hartington would score three runs in the sixth to go up by the 8-0 final and the game was over.
Hochstein helped his own cause, opening the Hartington sixth with a triple past the right fielder. Dawson Dresden was inserted as a courtesy runner.
After a strikeout, Wiebelhaus got his second hit of the night with a single to right which scored Dresden.
Keiser was again called on to cour- tesy run for Wiebelhaus and swiped second base.
Klug drew a walk then Whitmire singled past the shortstop. Keiser would score on an error on the play and the error left Klug on third.
Fischer did the honors with a fly ball to left field which found the grass, chasing Klug home for the eighth run and securing the win and trip to Malcolm.
“You didn’t see any big celebra- tion from us tonight, this is where we expected to be," said Whitmire, the coach. "We are focused on what's in front of us. We know we have the guys and the ability to win the whole thing.
We got a taste of that last year and we want more."
Post 4 will take on the Tecumseh Post 2/330 Juniors on Saturday, July 19.
