(Harlan) Clutch hits by Cael Goshorn and Cade Sears rallied Harlan to a 7-6 win over Atlantic in 8 innings at Harlan on Tuesday night.
Atlantic jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Easton O’Brien scored on a wild pitch, and Tanner O’Brien and Jaice Larson belted RBI singles for the visitors.
The Cyclones answered with one run in the bottom of the second inning. Matthew Sorfonden walloped a double, and Landon Kaufman belted a fly ball to centerfield scoring Sorfenden from third to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
Atlantic responded in the third inning when Tanner O’Brien tagged a fly ball to center field, scoring Carter Pellet on the sacrifice fly, giving the Trojans a 4-1 lead heading into the Cyclones side of the third inning. Harlan answered the bell with an RBI single from Stephen Leinen, and Matthew Sorfonden followed with an RBI double, bringing the home team within a run, 4-3.
Jackson McLaren and Easton O’Brien’s ripped RBI base knocks, and it appeared the Trojans might salt this one away with a 6-3 lead heading into Harlan’s side of the sixth frame. Perhaps the loudest hit of the night came next when Stephen Leinen drilled a solo home run over the left field fence, and Quinn Koesters drifted a deep fly ball to center, scoring Sorfonden from third base on the sac fly and bringing the Clones within one run, 6-5. Harlan kept the momentum into the bottom of the seventh and knotted the game at 6-6 inning on Cael Goshorn’s RBI single, sending the game into extra innings. Cade Sears rose to the occasion in the bottom of the eighth inning with a game-winning base hit.
Harlan Head Coach Heath Stein was proud of how his team came from behind for the win.
The Cyclones scored seven runs on 14 hits, led by Leinen’s home run and RBI single; Cade Sears ripped a double and game-winning single; Hayden Soma went three-for-four, Matthew Sorfonden drilled a double and RBI triple, and Cael Goshorn had a two-hit night.
Atlantic Assistant Coach Oran Perkins, when asked about the Trojans’ early lead in the top of the first inning.
Tanner O’Brien led Atlantic at the plate with an RBI double and a single; Jackson McLaren went 2-4, and Easton O’Brien, and Xavier Darrow had hits.
Atlantic, now 3-4 in the conference, and 6-4 overall, travels to league-leading Lewis Central on Thursday. Harlan extends its’ record to 5-1 in the Hawkeye Ten and 6-5 in all games.
