By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
DELTA (April 21, 2025) – There were a lot of words that could describe Evergreen’s come from behind 5-3 win over Delta.
The biggest one used was resilient as Evergreen scored three times on just one hit in the sixth, and the duo of Austin Burghardt and Colton Robertson shut the Panthers down in the last two innings to keep the Vikings undefeated in league play.
“You know every league game feels like Game 7 of the World Series,” Evergreen coach Chris Owens said.
“This is a great league, great league. Every day, every practice you have to prepare to be on top of the game. If you don’t work on one thing it may cost you, so we’ll continue to work and keep getting better every day.”
Evergreen jumped out early, getting a run in the top of the first. Delta starter Brady Morr plunked Bryce Bolger with a pitch, and after a wild pitch, Bolger rode home on Chris Shrader’s double to deep left.
The Vikings threatened again in the third. Bolger singled, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch with one down.
However, Morr got out of it getting Robertson on an infield pop and then Wyatt Flickinger made a sliding catch on a Layne Vance rope to left field.
Enthused by Flickinger’s play, the Panthers rallied to take the lead against Vance in the third. Flickinger battled for a walk, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch.
Jacob Walter’s sharp single to right tied the game and after reaching third on a passed ball, he came home on an infield error to give Delta a 2-1 lead.
Robertson used his speed to knot the game in the fifth when he singled, went to second on an errant pickoff move, stole third and continued home on a throwing error to make it 2-2.
Delta reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning against Burghardt who came to the mound an inning earlier.
A pair of walks around Lane Lopez’s single set up Jadon Lohman’s looping single to left with two down that regained a one run Panther margin.
The Vikes got that run back, plus two more in the sixth. Morr hit Blake Boucher with a pitch and walked Nolan Hudik.
Carlos Desantos came to the hill and Troy Manz greeted him with a line drive single to right center to load the bases.
Bolger hit a chopper between first and the mound and the only play possible was at first as the tying run scored.
Robertson then followed with a sharp grounder that second baseman Vinnie Maurer snagged but also went to first for an out as Evergreen went back on top.
Manz came home two pitches later on a wild pitch to cap the rally. “In these types of games, the bottom of the order has come through yet again,” Owens exclaimed.
“We got some base runners after being in a two-strike count, Troy Manz gets a two-strike hit and the top of the order put the ball in play to score some runs. You can’t have a complete lineup unless the bottom of the order comes through for you.”
Burghardt worked a 1-2-3 sixth and after Morr reached on an error to start the seventh, Robertson got Desantos on strikes and induced Lopez to ground to Shrader, which the sophomore second sacker turned a 4-4-3 double play to end the game.
“He is a great weapon to have,” Owens said of his senior closer. “Anyone who knows Colton knows the competitor he is, when he says, ‘I’ve got it’ going into the seventh inning, you feel pretty good about it.”
“Three times he has come in against 2-3-4 hitters in the lineup and it hasn’t fazed him at all.”
No Viking had more than one hit in the game as Evergreen had just seven for the contest.
The trio of Viking pitchers allowed just five Delta hits. Burghardt garnered the win, going 2 2/3, giving up two hits and one earned run. Robertson picked up the save.
Morr was saddled with the loss, pitching five innings and giving up four runs, three of which were earned.
EHS 100 013 0 – 5 7 2
DHS 002 010 0 – 3 5 3
Records: SHS 9-2, 1-2 NWOAL; DHS 2-7, 1-2 NWOAL
WINNING PITCHER: Burghardt (2.2 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 earned) Other: Vance, Robertson
LOSING PITCHER: Morr (5 innings, 6 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts) Other: DeSantos
LEADING HITTERS: (Evergreen) Shrader – double, RBI; (Delta) Friess – 2 singles