Two-hitter leads Helias to 6-0 sectional victory against Bolivar

Riley Heckenkamp of Helias makes contact on a pitch during Wednesday's Class 3 sectional against Bolivar at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
Riley Heckenkamp of Helias makes contact on a pitch during Wednesday's Class 3 sectional against Bolivar at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.

It's a formula that has worked for most of the season - rely on pitching and defense and look for the offense to score enough runs.

If it's not broke, don't fix it.

Alexa Rehmeier and Lauren Howell combined on a two-hitter Wednesday and Helias batted around in the fourth inning as the Lady Crusaders blanked the Bolivar Liberators 6-0 in Class 3 sectional action at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.

"We're moving on, survive and advance is the important thing this time of the season," Helias coach Chris Wyrick said.

With the win, Helias (23-5) will host Logan-Rogersville (24-6) in the quarterfinals Saturday. Game time is 1 p.m.

Offense was tough to come by early in the Wednesday's game as Rehmeier and Bolivar starter Katie Brooks opened with three scoreless innings.

Bolivar had just one baserunner in the first three innings, that coming when leadoff hitter Emme Hall was hit by a pitch to start the game. Helias had just one player reach in the first three innings as well, that coming on a one-out single by Ella Meyer in the bottom of the first.

In the fourth, Avery McClure hit a one-out double for Bolivar. But Rehmeier struck out the next two Liberators to end the threat.

Helias then broke through in the bottom of the inning.

Meyer led off with a double, ripping a 1-2 pitch just inside the bag at third down the line in left.

"She just hits," Wyrick said. "She puts it in play and gives herself a chance."

Rylee Kolb then reached on an infield single as Meyer advanced to third. After Kolb stole second, Kenley Haslag hit a 1-2 pitch to left for a two-run single to give the Lady Crusaders the lead.

Riley Heckenkamp followed with a single to center as pinch-runner Molly Berkey advanced to second. After a strikeout, Abigale Hoelscher singled to right and when the ball was bobbled, Berkey came around to score and Helias had runners at second and third.

"We put a lot of pressure on them in that inning," Wyrick said.

Paige Luebbering made it 4-0 when her grounder to second scored courtesy runner Livia Bloomer. Holly Hentges plated the final run of the inning with a triple to right field to score Hoelscher.

"Things just snowballed, that can happen in fast pitch," Wyrick said.

Staked to a five-run lead, Rehmeier set down Bolivar in order in the top of the fifth. Helias added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning when Kolb reached on a one-out error, stole second and later came around to score on another error on a ball hit by Heckenkamp.

Rehmeier worked out of a jam in the top of the sixth. Bolivar had runners at first and third after an error and a single before Rehmeier induced an infield pop out to end the inning.

"She gives up the double in the fourth, didn't phase her," Wyrick said. "They get first and third in the sixth, didn't phase her. She's matured a lot as the season has gone on."

Rehmeier did not allow a walk and struck out 10 in six innings.

Howell came on in the top of the seventh, issuing a one-out walk while recording three strikeouts as the Lady Crusaders again used their potent 1-2 pitching punch to get a victory.

"It's hard to figure sometimes when to make a change," Wyrick said. "But the most important thing is they are both all in on the team concept, winning is what matters the most. They are fully committed to the team."

Meyer and Hentges had two hits each to pace an eight-hit Helias attack. The Lady Crusaders stole five bases Wednesday.

"We knew we could run on them, we were going to be aggressive and make them make throws under stress," Wyrick said.

The win came in front of the biggest home crowd of the season.

"It was great to see all of the students here," Wyrick said. "The girls and I really appreciate it."

Helias and Logan-Rogersville have met once in the postseason, that coming in the 2015 quarterfinals. Helias won that game 18-7.

III

The Lady Crusaders were playing with heavy hearts after the death of Helias student Jackson Careaga earlier Wednesday.

"It's tough for the girls to come out in this intense of a game when something like this happens," Wyrick said. "We have nine seniors, he was their classmate.

"We just talked about keeping things in perspective, this is just a game and there are more important things in life."

Careaga was an athlete at Helias, finishing second in the Class 3 state wrestling championships at 152 pounds last February for the Crusaders.

"Jackson was a heck of a competitor, anyone who ever saw him on a wrestling mat could see that," Wyrick said. "We tried to be as much of a competitor today as he was."