Hart edged Mason County Central in a very close game two Tuesday to
pick up a doubleheader sweep of the Spartans in a West Michigan
Conference Rivers doubleheader, 11-1 and 4-3.
The second of
the two games was a nail-biter throughout, with MCC getting the tying
run into scoring position in the final inning before Reese Smith got a
strikeout to end the game.
Smith's hustle to get all the way
from first base to third on a wild pitch in the sixth inning proved
decisive in the final outcome, thanks to Leah Walker's sacrifice bunt
bringing Smith in. The Pirates again used small ball to help get an
insurance run across the plate in the seventh, as Kora Hiddema reached
on a fielder's choice, got to third base on a bunt and scored on a wild
pitch.
Sydney Bateson had two of Hart's five hits in game two,
and Smith got the win after throwing 3 2/3 innings of hitless and
scoreless relief with four strikeouts.
Game one was all Hart
(6-4, 2-0 WMC Rivers) as the Pirates pushed 10 runs across in the first
three innings and won by mercy rule. Smith connected on a two-run home
run in the second inning, part of a three-hit, six-RBI game. Maria
Rodriguez brought two runs in with a first-inning single, and ElliAna
Guikema had a RBI single in the third.
Caydence Bateson,
Sydney Bateson and Makenna Carrier each had two hits in the game as
well. Smith struck out eight and allowed only three hits in the circle
to get the win.
