HUMBOLDT — The Cubs dominated their home tournaments on Friday, never giving their competition much hope.
In the Lindsey Friederich Memorial Tournament, Humboldt’s softball team beat Anderson County 10-3 to reach the championship game. In the final, Courtney Richey shut down Central Heights with a 1-hit complete-game effort. Humboldt won 10-0 in five innings.
“I was very happy with our effort on Friday night,” Humboldt coach Brad Piley said. “I look forward every year to Lindsey’s tournament. It means a lot to me and the Cubs.”
The baseball team was even more dominant in the Walter Johnson Tournament.
Against Anderson County in the first round, Jake Haviland threw a no-hitter. The senior struck out eight batters and only allowed one walk in the five-inning 12-0 win.
“Jake was great,” Humboldt coach Mike Miller said. “He had everything working with good command and really challenged their hitters. Our defense played well behind him as well.”
The top of the Humboldt batting order led the way in game one, their No. 1-5 hitters (Corey Whitcomb, Rayce Hoepker, Rhett Smith, Haviland and Tyler Korte) each scored two runs.
Haviland and Korte led the team with two hits each, while Hoepker had the RBI lead with two.
In game two, Hoepker started off on the mound and threw three innings, surrendering three runs (one earned). He only allowed three hits, but gave up four walks to Central Heights in the 15-5 Humboldt win.
“Rayce struggled a little bit on the mound, but did a good job battling and not giving up the big inning,” Miller said.
Daylon Splane relieved Hoepker in the fourth and pitched two innings, allowing three hits and two runs. Those runs came on a fourth-inning home run.
“Daylon came on in relief and held them down, except for one mistake that he left up for a home run,” Miller said. “Central Heights had some really good hitters, but he bounced back after that and really shut them down the rest of the way.”
The Cubs offense was at the top of their game in the win. Lance Daniels, Splane, Smith, Haviland and Whitcomb all had two hits. Whitcomb, Hoepker, Smith and Haviland each also posted three RBIs.
RICHEY WAS THE star in both games for the softball team.
