Millard West clips North Star

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By KEN HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star

If Millard West or Lincoln North Star could have squeezed any more drama out of their game, both teams might have collapsed from fatigue.

Millard West acted out three improbable defensive dazzlers and managed to edge North Star 3-2 in the final first-round game of the Class A state baseball tournament at Sherman Field.

“We haven’t been in one of those nail-biter, down-to-the-wire, breathless games this year, and that took a lot of great effort from both teams,” said Millard West coach Frank Ryan. “The pitching on both sides was really good, and we had some of our best defensive plays of the year to win this one.”

North Star starter Jacob Hiatt, who allowed just seven hits, said only the final score could have been better than the game.

“This was the game of my life, the game of our team’s life, and we played great and Millard West did, too,” he said.

North Star, in the state tournament for the first time in school history, finally broke through Millard West starter Mike Peterson for two runs to tie the game in the fifth inning. Hiatt was rounding second base and teammate Joe Hartley, who doubled in a run, was rounding third after Gator teammate John Branum hit a low liner to center field.

But Millard West center fielder Bryce Johnson made a sliding, diving catch to end the inning.

“We were one inch or less from getting a 4-2 lead right there,” said Hiatt.

The Wildcats seemed to steal another run from North Star in the fourth inning, when left fielder Jon Schneider threw a perfect strike to his catcher to nail Nate Wilder at the plate.

“Schneider did a great job,” said Ryan. “He scored the go-ahead run, drove in a run and made a great play in the field. That’s good to see because injuries kept him out of the state tournament last year and the state Legion tournament last summer.”

North Star, 18-9, will face Lincoln Southeast in the 7 p.m. elimination game Tuesday at Sherman Field.

A week ago, Southeast topped the Gators 3-0 for the district title.

“That game we were really tight,” said North Star coach Lanny Bolles. “Tonight we were relaxed, played a great game and couldn’t ask for much more. Jacob (Hiatt) settled down after the second inning and we started getting some hits and some chances. The play in center field (the dive by Johnston) took away two runs, and the throw from left field to get our guy at the plate had to be a one-hop strike that you just don’t see every day.

“It was a beautiful game.”

Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.