5-Run 6th Lets HC Softball Rally to Top St. Albert, 7-4

HC's Seniors Lauren Schmitz & Rebekah Christensen (7-2-26)

Harlan Community's Aubree Wegner
(7-2-26)

5-Run 6th Lets HC Softball Rally to Top St. Albert, 7-4 -

(7-2-26) – Cyclone grit showed up again for a big win to end the regular season Thursday.

Taylor Heese’s Little League homer capped a 5-run 6th for Harlan Community as they rallied to beat St. Albert, 7-4.

“It kind of started back inn Denison, when we had the comeback win there,” said Coach Nolan Heese about the tenacity of his Cyclone squad. “I think just seeing that, we know that we're capable of doing that against anybody.”

Aubree Wegner tied the game with a triple earlier in the inning when she took advantage of the opportunity before her.

“When I'm up to bat, I really have to take every at bat as an opportunity,” said Wegner, who was 2-3 on the contest. “I had to think about that as I was up to bat and I knew that I had to come through for my team because beating St. Albert is a big win for us.”

An Avery Manz sac fly scored Wegner to give the Cyclones the lead. With 2 outs, Lauren Schmitz got a single and was courtesy run for by Brie Nelson. That’s when Heese hit a grounder to 3rd that was overthrown at 1st and went up the right field line. Nelson came around to score on the play and after the ball skipped away from the catcher, Heese scampered home to increase the Cyclone lead to 3.

Lauren Schmitz got the complete game victory, despite giving up 4 runs in the 2nd saying her teammates helped motivate her to battle for the win.

“So, the girls were joking. They're like, this could be the last game you pitch. That is honestly, that's really true and that's something that really motivated me to do good on this game. Push like it's the last time it's going to happen because it might be.”

The motivation worked as Schmitz retired 16 of the final 19 batters of the game.

For Harlan Community Coach Nolan Heese, he and his staff like the growth his team has who this season.

“It's really special to see and reaffirming on what we do as a team and as a coaching staff that things are getting better and that we're going in the right direction that we want it to.”

Leighton Finnegan has a 2-run homer for the Saintes, who fall to 15-14.

Brynn Schumacher was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI for the Cyclones, who finished the regular season, 17-11. Harlan Community will face Perry in the quarterfinals of the 4A-1 Regional.

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