Any team heads into a Sectional final contest with their sights set on winning, no matter what the odds, no matter who the opponent. But when a team is facing a vaunted foe such as state-powerhouse Strasburg in the Sectional finals, as the Lady Hawks did on Saturday, May 14, then you also have other motives and goals too, which Hiland coach Jill Lyons said her team had.

Seven innings after the game had begun, it was over.

Hiland had lost 6-0. But it had also attained several goals which made the game a plus in terms of where the program goes and how the team feels about its season coming to an end.

“Of course no one likes losing, but we set some goals and we did accomplish those goals,” said Lyons. “We wanted to put the ball in play against Kasey (Gerber, Strasburg’s fire-balling ace) and we did. We wanted them to play their starting lineup the entire game... and they did. No, we didn’t get the win, but we played with one of the best teams in the state, and that makes me proud of the girls.”

The game actually got off to not just one, but two false starts. Originally slated to take place Thursday, May 12, the game was rained out and moved to the next night. There, they got in two innings before the rains set in again, forcing the continuation of the game to Saturday, May 14. Amid more threatening weather, and with the Lady Hawks facing big obstacles, Hiland played what Lyons said was one of their more solid games of the season.

The first inning sailed by with the only excitement coming when Hiland catcher Kayla Yoder gunned down a would-be base stealer at second. However, Gerber was being her usual brilliant self on the mound for the Lady Tigers, and cruised through the first four innings perfectly.

Meanwhile, Hiland’s freshman pitcher ran into a bit of bad luck in the second. An epic battle with the first batter, and an at bat in which Lyons and Mast both felt they had a strikeout, Mast eventually ended up issuing a walk. An error later, Strasburg shortstop Karli Dibacco lined a bullet off of Mast’s leg, the ball caroming to the fence past first base. With much of the focus on Mast, who had collapsed in a heap on the mound, both Strasburg runners raced around to score, and Dibacco ended up on third. After finally taking the rubber, Mast threw a wild pitch allowing Dibacco to score, before getting the next three outs in succession.

Strasburg attacked again in the third, and again it was Dibacco who delivered, a mammoth three-run double to left to clear the bases and make it 6-0.

Hiland got its first hit when senior Kate Hershberger, who had lined a shot off of Gerber in her first at bat, lined another sharp shot up the middle. Jessica Gerber followed with an infield hit, but both were stranded when Gerber slammed the door with a pair of strikeouts and a harmless fly out. Gerber retired the side in order to complete her two-hit, 10-strikeout performance and the Lady Tigers had another Sectional title banner for their collection.

Mast ended up throwing a six-hitter against a tough Tigers line-up, striking out four and allowing a season-high four walks. Aside from the two three-run innings, Mast threw well, and Lyons said her defense played one of its better games, making the plays they should have been making.

Hershberger, who finished her stellar career in which she lettered all four seasons, said that she was proud of her teammates for the way they prepared and worked for the game, as well as for how they played during it.

“I felt like we played very well,” said Hershberger. “We worked really hard preparing for them, and we knew it would be tough hitting against Kasey, so we faced a lot of really hard fastballs in practice trying to get ready. I thought our attitude and approach to the game was good.”

Hershberger could have been the one on the mound pitching, but an injury in the off-season left her unable to pitch, so she settled in at second base and center field for the year. Leading on a young team, Hershberger said that the young Lady Hawks showed solid improvement, and if they continue to work, will get better.

She also said that the team chemistry was one of the main reasons the team improved over the course of the season.

“We had several freshman step in and play this year, and fortunately, they all play quite a bit, so they were ready,” said Hershberger. “I missed not pitching, but I thought Maryssa did a really good job this year, and the one thing that made this season the most fun was that we all got along so well. There were no attitudes, and there was no drama, we just meshed well, and stayed together through wins or losses.”

“Now we just need to build off of this for next year,” said Lyons.

Hopefully the feeling of accomplishment and the lessons learned will last an offseason.