Harlan Community SB Gets Walked-Off by Lewis Central, 6-5

Harlan Community SB Gets Walked-Off by Lewis Central, 6-5 –

(6-4-26) – They took them to the last at-bat.

Cyclones softball went toe-to-toe with one of the top teams in the conference and it took a walk-off hit by Camryn King to give the Titans a 6-5 win.

With one out in the 7th, Lewis Central state triple-crown candidate Aubree Davis walked and immediately stole 2nd and 3rd to get in position for King’s hit score winning run.

Harlan Community Coach Nolan Heese sees the tenacity his team is building with each and every game.

“It took them all the way to the 7th inning, a walk off to beat us. We lost 3-1 to Atlantic (on Monday). So, I mean, we're right there. Being able to compete with teams like this is just reassuring and kind of gives confidence going forward.”

After the Titans took the early lead, the Cyclones put together a rally in the 2nd, sending 8 batters to the plate and scoring a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead. Lewis Central would tie the game in the 3rd before Harlan Community got RBI singles from Avery Manz and Taylor Heese to put them up 4-2 in the top of the 4th. Nolan Heese is happy with Manz approach in the leadoff spot.

“She's playing phenomenal in every facet of the game this whole season,” Heese said of his 2nd baseman. “She was being a patient, smart hitter and then she's hitting hard line drives when she's getting her opportunities.”

The Titans would get a run back in the 4th and two more in the 5th on hits by Madison Johnette and King, take a 5-4 lead heading into the 6th.

Kaitlyn Schmitz led off the 6th with a single, followed by a Manz single to put runners at the corners for Lauren Schmitz, who helped her own cause with a fielder’s choice to tie the game at
5-5.

Lauren Schmitz gave Harlan Community 6.1 innings, giving up 4 earned runs and striking out three. Heese knows when Schmitz hits her spots, she’s effective and did so early against an aggressive Titan’s lineup.

“Like real estate, (it’s) location, location, location. If she can hit the certain spots, try to get them off balance, mix in the change up, the rise, all that stuff. A lot of their stud hitters like to pull the ball. They want to try to crank a home run. So, if she can try to attack them a little bit more outside, that forces them to do kind of more up the middle or go opposite. So, trying not to give them the pitches that they want to see.”

Harper Wilcox came in relief for Lewis Central and pitched 3 innings, striking out 7 and giving up just one run on 2 hits to get the win.

King was 3 for 4 with 3 RBI for the Titans.

Manz had two hits and two RBI for the Cyclones as they fall to 3-5 on the year. Next up for Harlan Community softball is a doubleheader at home against Glenwood on Monday.

View past scores by visiting the Iowa High School Athletic Association's website, Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union website,
or Iowa Quik Stats