Fort Loramie’s Gabe Hart throws a pitch during Saturday’s District 4 ACME Regional tournament at Celina
Ryan Harless | Sidney Daily News
CELINA — Fort Loramie rode Gabe Hart’s excellent performance on the bump to a 1-0 victory over Minster on Saturday in the ACME District 4 Regional tournament in Celina to advance to the championship game on Sunday. Following the game, Gabe Hart had only one thing on his mind: “win.”
“It wasn’t easy,” Hart said of his game Saturday. “ They’re a good team. My curveball wasn’t going but my fastball was breezing through the second half of their lineup.”
Through the first two innings, Minster and Fort Loramie were at a stalemate with both teams stranding runners on the basepaths.
In the top of the third Fort Loramie loaded the bases by way of a Zach Dues single, an error that allowed Sammy Goubeaux to reach, a sacrifice bunt from Dylan Meyer and a G. Hart walk. Luis Hart then stepped into the batter’s box and was drilled on the arm by a pitch, moving everyone 90 feet and scoring a run.
G. Hart continued to cruise through Minster’s lineup in the bottom half of the third before finally surrendering a hit in the fourth. After issuing a walk, G. Hart shut the rally down with a ground ball to L. Hart at third.
In the bottom of the fifth inning G. Hart dazzled, striking out the side in quick fashion and keeping the score 1-0 going into the sixth inning.
Minster attempted to get the bats going in the bottom of the seventh when short-stop Chase Bornhorst made an error allowing the batter to reach first. The tides quickly shifted back after G. Hart caught the runner sleeping and threw to first, forcing him into a rundown for the first out of the inning.
After a flyout to right-field, G. Hart allowed another baserunner after a long at-bat resulted in a walk. But it was all for naught as the next batter grounded to short and Fort Loramie made the force out at second to end the game.
“Everybody’s backing me up on the field and in the dugout,” G. Hart said of his teammates. “Coach always talks about keeping each other up and being there for each other. It definitely helps.”
G. Hart finished the game with five strikeouts, surrendering three walks and only two hits while going one-for-two at the plate with a walk of his own and was named player of the game.
Fort Loramie is back in action in the ACME District 4 Regional tournament championship game at 1pm in Celina at Montgomery Field.
