Hartington Seniors end season in Area tourney
CROFTON — The Hartington Post 4 Senior American Legion baseball team dropped its final game of the season to Crofton/Wynot in the finals of the C-1 Area Tournament here July 30, 11-4.
After losing to Crofton earlier in the tournament, Post 4 advanced in the consolation bracket with a win over Creighton 8-2 to set up a return date with the hosts where Hartington would have to beat them twice to move on to the Class C Senior Legion Tournament which is now being held in Wakefield.
Crofton scored in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead, but Post 4 answered in the bottom of the frame to even the score 1-1.
Breiton Whitmire opened the Hartington half of the inning with a double into center field.
After a fly ball, Dan Puppe stepped to the plate and laced a line drive back up the middle for a base hit which moved Whitmire to third.
Weston Heine was hit by the Crofton/Wynot pitcher to load the bases with just one out when Koby Detlefsen rifled a shot to right field to score Whitmire, but Heine was forced out at second.
A ground ball ended the inning and the teams went to the second inning with the 1-1 tie.
Crofton added a run in the third, then plated five runs over the next two innings to take a 7-1 lead heading into the Hartington sixth.
Puppe opened the bottom of the sixth frame with a single, then Heine was plunked again by the Crofton pitcher.
Detlefsen got on board on an error by Crofton which scored Puppe and advanced Heine to second base.
Grady Haberer came up after a fly out and singled into left field, which scored Heine and left runners at first and second.
Another fly out and a strikeout ended the scoring outburst, though, and the teams went to the final inning with Crofton up 7-3.
Crofton’s bats came alive again in the next frame. Four big Crofton runs in the top of the seventh inning spelled disaster for Post 4 and the teams reached the 11-4 final score when Dylan Taylor scored for Hartington after walking earlier in the inning.
The Post 4 Seniors finished the 2024 campaign with a 14-13 record.
Crofton/Wynot Senior Legion defeats Hartington Post 4 Senior Legion 11-4.
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