North Harrison Advances in Sectionals, Drops NEN

North Harrison’s baseball team, riding its best season ever, stayed alive in a game stretched out over three days, beating NEN 3-1 in a game that started last Monday and that was not finished until Wednesday thanks to torrential rains. Previously, the Shamrocks had led NEN 10-6 in Ravenwood during the regular season in a game that was suspended during the fourth inning and didn’t get played. In sectionals, they showed that it was no accident as they held off the Bluejays despite being in hot water the whole game.

Matthew Heintz started off for North Harrison and missed just outside to Ben Boswell to start the game. He came back to get Levi Boulting on two big breaking balls, but then Boswell stole second and Chet Spires’ line drive to right dropped in just before Tyler Lundy could get to it for a double and Boswell scored. But then Heintz came back to get Ethan Adwell called out on strikes and Reed McIntyre swinging to get out of the inning with his team down 1-0.

Ethan Adwell started for the Bluejays and Brett Emig, after fouling off a couple of pitches 2-2, hit a pop fly behind Ben Boswell at short for a base hit. But Logan Craig flied out to Chace Atkins in left and Maverick Price ran down Brandon Hamilton’s pop fly to short right to quash the threat.

The Bluejays had a golden opportunity to break open the game in the third. With one out, Levi Boulting beat out a scratch hit down the third base line and took second on a balk and third on a wild pitch. Chet Spire popped out to Logan Craig, but Heintz began fighting the strike zone, missing two close pitches to Ethan Adwell and walking him, and walking Reed McIntyre to load the bases. But then Tyler Lundy came in to pitch and struck out Spencer Gray to end the inning.

Adwell got to two outs easily in the third inning, but Grant Claycomb kept the inning alive with a double to right center. Brett Emig was hit by a pitch, and Logan Craig doubled to left center to put North Harrison on top 2-1.

Lundy got in hot water during each of the next three innings, only to get out of them. With one out in the fourth, Auston Pride gave one a long ride to dead center. Centerfielder Logan Huitt knocked it down to keep it in the yard, but couldn’t secure it as Pride reached first safely. Chace Atkins struck out on a pitch in the third, but Ben Boswell reached when Logan Craig dropped a throw in the dirt at first. Levi Boulting shot one into the hole at short that Grant Claycomb at short knocked down, but had no play on to load the bases. But Chet Spire grounded into a force at third to end the inning.

In the fifth, Lundy plunked Ethan Adwell. Reed McIntyre grounded out to first, but then he plunked Spencer Gray. Maverick Price popped out, but a balk moved Adwell and Gray to second and third. But he reach back and brought the heat to Auston Pride and struck him out.

Logan Huitt reached on an error when third baseman Levi Boulting bobbled a grounder as the rain was turning into a steady downpour. Grant Claycomb was hit by a pitch, and with Northeast’s back to the wall, Chet Spire came on to pitch. He got Brett Emig out on strikes, but moved the runners to second and third during the at bat on a wild pitch. Logan Craig beat out a scratch hit as Ben Boswell knocked down a hard-hit ball as Huitt crossed the plate to make it 3-1 and Claycomb took third. The Bluejays looked like they were in real danger at that point after Logan Craig stole second, but then Spire clipped the inside corner on a 3-2 pitch to Brandon Hamilton and got him out on strikes. Wade Briggs walked, but Cruz Ury was called out on strikes as well to end the threat.

Once again, NEN mounted a threat against Lundy, and one again, they could not cross the plate against him in the sixth. With one out, Ben Boswell beat out a slow roller down the third base line. Levi Boulting reached on an error when his grounder caromed in the air when third baseman Brandon Hamilton tried to field it in the slick conditions. Chet Spire popped into an infield fly for the second out, but Ethan Adwell reached on a fielder’s choice when he was jammed but hit a grounder to Brandon Hamilton, but Boswell beat out the force play at third to load the bases. But Reed McIntyre hit it hard, but right at Logan Craig at first to end the threat and leave the bases loaded.

At that point, it started raining harder, and Chet Spire was slipping and sliding over the mound and the game was suspended at the start of the North Harrison sixth. The torrential rains continued throughout Tuesday, but it cleared up Wednesday, allowing the game to be finished.

Chet Spire held the fort against North Harrison as he walked Lane Huitt, but struck out Matthew Heintz and Logan Huitt and got Grant Claycomb to ground out.

Tyler Lundy had thrown 47 pitches Monday, which meant he was out of pitches, forcing North Harrison to bring in Grant Claycomb to finish out the game. Spencer Gray shot one just past Wade Briggs at short, and Colton Swalley ran for him. But then Maverick Price hit a slow roller back to the mound that North Harrison turned into a 1-6-3 double play.

But just like the Platte Valley and Pattonsburg games, the final out proved elusive for North Harrison as Matthew Heintz couldn’t handle Auston Pride’s high chopper at second. Chace Atkins hit a cue shot off the end of his bat that dropped just before Wade Briggs could get to it. Atkins showed some newfound wheels and beat it out, bringing the lead run to the plate. Ben Boswell and the heart of the order was up, and anything could happen, but Boswell went after the first pitch and hit a pop fly right at Wade Briggs at short for the final out.