New Covenant baseball’s sophomore season was more than any could have hoped for and came up just short of a state title in a 7-2 loss to the now two-time defending champion Bell City Cubs.
“It was a magical spring and a magical season that we just experienced and got beat by a better team. I can see why they are the defending champs. What a group Bell City has,” Hartley said. “We close our eyes and all of our dreams came true short of one and that is ok.”
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Bell City would scratch a run across in the first and two more in the second and that is all that Cub pitcher Cole Nichols would need.
“Their guy (Nichols) on the mound was very good. He had good velocity, a good hammer, (and) a good breaking pitch,” Hartley said.
Nichols and his defense were also masters at stopping New Covenant threats, as the Warriors stranded 10 total runners on base. That included loading the bases in the top of the sixth without pushing a run across.
“They got some timely hits when they need them, and we left some runners on base. Those are two things that are really important in playoff baseball. They got them (timely hits) and we didn’t,” Hartley said. “I have absolutely no beef with the way this game went with my kids and give all the credit to their guys.”
Hartley will lose five seniors, four of them starters, from his second year squad. His message post game to his boys is a simple one.
“We have a mix of emotions going, so we will address both. Obviously how proud I am of them from a baseball standpoint, but also how proud I am of them as young men and taking care of their proper business off the field as well,” Hartley said.
New Covenant finishes the season with a 23-5 record and a second place finish in the state a year after going 13-13 and falling in the opening round of districts.
