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Well worth the wait
Harney All-Stars get win in championship game of tourney
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RAPID CITY — After two years of watching the Canyon Lake All-Stars parade around the field after winning the championship game the Harney All-Stars left little doubt as to who this year’s champion would be in the North Dakota-South Dakota District Little I League Softball tournament.
Harney emerged with a 16-0 win over Canyon Lake to advance to the regional tournament in Joplin, Mo. beginning Saturday.
“We were a little nervous,” said 11-year-old shortstop Abbie Wahl, who was the winning pitcher earlier in the week. “The Harney teams were in the same situation the last two years (needing only one win to advance), but we wanted to go to Joplin so bad, we found a way.”
Tiffany Hanson pitched a two-hitter in the four-inning game to pick up the win.
Hanson, one of four 11-year-old pitchers on the Harney roster, fanned three and walked three in the game.
Harney plated five runs in the first inning and added 11 more in the second as 16 batters went to the plate.
Canyon Lake mounted its best threat in the top of the third by loading the bases with one out, but Hanson retired the next two hitters on pop-ups to the infield.
Sydney Bodensteiner, on in relief of starting Canyon Lake pitcher Kelsey Hendrickson, kept Harney off the scoreboard in the third inning.
With one out and two Canyon Lake runners on base, Harney then completed a 5-3-2 double play to end the game in the fourth.
For Emily Witcraft and Casssie Goll, a pair of 12-year-olds that suffered through last year’s title game loss, it was a bittersweet moment.
“We were disappointed for sure last year,” said Goll. “When we found out we would be playing Canyon Lake for the title, we just set our minds to play as well as we could.
“Tiffany pitched great and everybody got to contribute, it’s pretty exciting knowing we will be making the trip this time.”
Witcraft delivered a crippling blow in the second frame when she tripled with the bases loaded and then scored on a throwing error scoring the last four runs of the game.
Witcraft had three hits to lead Harney, which had 12 in the game.
Wahl scored three times as did Witcraft.
“I won a bet with some of the dads that I would come through with the bases loaded,” said Witcraft.
Tara Kuper and Meggie Boyland had singles for Canyon Lake.
“We were more aggressive and played good defense,” said Harney manager Dave Johnson. “Those were the keys not only tonight, but the whole tournament.”
Harney has a total of eight 11-year olds on its roster.
“I was very pleased how they played,” said Johnson, who coached the Scapers to the City League title during the regular season.
“It was one of the younger All-Star teams that I have coached.”
“Canyon Lake played a good tournament and proved they belonged by getting past Timberline on Friday,” said Johnson.
Harney completed a perfect week by winning all four of its games. It was the second time they had defeated Canyon Lake in the tourney.
Harney All-Stars pitcher Tiffany Hanson throws a pitch towards home plate during Saturday night’s game against Canyon Lake at Harney Little League field. Kristina Barker/Journal staff
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