Honkers get past Trinity in first round

Thanks to a heads-up play by third baseman Tyler Ward, the Willows Honkers advanced to the second round of the Northern Section Division 3 playoffs with a 5-2 win over Trinity on Friday.

Willows held a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh against the host Wolves, but Trinity was threatening with runners on first and second base and just one out.

The batter popped up to Honker shortstop Nathan Michaud, who called for the ball and appeared ready to make the catch. However the ball was just beyond his reach and landed safety at the edge of the infield.

The Trinity runners began to advance and Michaud threw the ball to Ward who was awaiting the runner at third base. In the confusion on the play, the runners were unaware that the infield fly rule had been called. They tried to advance, but once the runner from second saw Ward with the ball, he retreated to second base.

Ward, who had heard the umpire call the infield fly ruling, according to Willows coach Manuel Rakestraw, took off after the runner and the Honkers were able to tag him out a few feet from second. The runner didn’t retreat all the way to the bag because his teammate, running from first, was already occupying the base.

The umpire immediately called the tagged runner out and declared the ballgame over.

“The Trinity coach got a little upset and he argued with the umpire for about 20 minutes,” said Rakestraw.

Trinity officially protested the game, but Northern Section commissioner Liz Kyle upheld the decision on the field and awarded the win to the Honkers.

Willows played Hamilton on Tuesday in the second round. The winner advances to the final, which will be played on Saturday at the highest seed.

The Honkers played Tuesday without top pitcher Will Enos, who was ejected from Friday’s game after running over a Trinity player in a play at second base. Enos had shut down the Trinity offense throughout most of the game, registering double-digit strikeout totals. Clark finished the game to get the save.

The Honkers scored a single runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings and posted two runs in the sixth.

Enos singled and scored in the second inning.

In the fourth, Lane Taylor singled and scored on a groundball out.

In the fifth, Mike Chappell reached base on an error and came home on Kent Thayer’s sacrifice fly to center.

In the sixth, Seth Fleming reached base on a fielder’s choice and Ward walked. Two more walks to Chappell and Clark forced in a run and Thayer drove in another with a basehit. Thayer was 2-for-3 in the game to lead the Honker hitting attack.