Cyclone BB Edges SCE Thanks to Heese Walk-Off Single

Harlan Community's Brett Heese & Brock Lemerick (7-1-24)

Cyclone BB Edges SCE Thanks to Heese Walk-Off Single -

(7-1-24) – It was rough early on, but “the Hitman” was able to come through when needed most.

Brett Heese hit a 2-RBI single with one out in the 7th to give Harlan Community a walk-off win over Sioux City East by a final of 4-3.

The Cyclones entered the inning, trailing 3-2 when Foxx Argotsinger and Matthew Sorfonden reached base to start the inning. A wild pitch allowed both runners to move up and the Black Raiders decided to intentionally walk Colton Schneider to get to Heese. He didn’t waste time at the dish, lacing the 2nd pitch he saw into centerfield and win the game.

Heese was glad he was able to come through after a couple of bad at bats earlier in the game.

“Just looking for a fastball I struck. I struggled most, mostly mentally in the head. Early on in the game, drew walked the first step out and then had two really not the best at match right after that, but got focused up and got that game-winning hit right up center.

Coach Heath Stein liked how his 1st baseman rebounded and came through in the clutch.

“His approach early on wasn't the greatest and he's kind of fought that throughout the season. When he's on and aggressive, he swings a heck of a bat and when he gets passive, he gets himself in holes and he starts thinking a little bit. So (for) him to walk to the plate right there, get a good pitch to hit, put a really good swing on it after moving on from his prior two at bats shows his maturity. It’s growth. It’s everything you want to see in a player.”

Cyclone pitcher Brock Lemerick came in with runners in scoring position, nobody out in the 5th and the score 2-1. He was able to get out of the inning giving up just one inherited runner.

Lemerick says whether he’s starting or coming in relief, he’s confident about the defense behind him.

“When you're coming in relief, usually it's a sticky situation. You're in a jam. You know you need to come out, you need to get quick outs and most of the time you let your defensive guys work.”

Stein likes the consistency pitcher Brock Lemerick has shown this season.

“The key is staying in that side arm slot cause when he does that, that ball moves all over the place, sometimes he might think he's a little bit of a power guy, which he wants to be that guy who can just blow you away. But he's not that guy. And he's realizing and really pitching to his strengths with that.”

The game started with Sioux City East 1st baseman Jax Theeler hitting his 8th homer of the season. His homer would be matched by Sorfonden, when hit his 3rd to lead off the 3rd and tie the game at 1-1.

After Lemerick pitched out of that 5th inning jam, Schneider added a RBI single in the 5th for Harlan Community to cut the deficit to 1.

Lemerick says unity amongst the pitching staff has help them been a strength this year for the Cyclones.

“We all hold each other very accountable for our actions, whether we're on the mound or off the mound or in the bullpen or just throwing the ball. You know, we're always on each other trying to make ourselves be better and get each other to be better because we want to come out, we want to win these games. We know we're a good team and we know we can make a run and that's the reason that we do that. So, as a pitching group, you know, we're very tight knit, but not just as pitchers as a team, we're very tight knit and that's what makes us play so well, I believe.”

Heese thinks a win over a top-tier team like Sioux City East will help point the Cyclones in right direction the rest of the way.

“We got a lot of momentum going into districts and it felt great to win that.”

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