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Hills Town captures Labor Day title in Steen

Submitted storyThe Exchange State Bank of Hills Town softball team capped a 34-8 season by winning the annual Steen Tournament for the second consecutive year Monday.Hills topped Lester (4-3), Hardwick (11-0) and Beaver Creek (12-9) before besting the Hills Indees 13-4 in the championship game.Hills Town used the pitching of Tim Bosch and the hitting of B.J. Boom and Rex Metzger to best the Indees in the title tilt.Bosch, who slapped two hits at the plate in the fourth inning, pitched three-plus innings in the five-inning tilt to pick up the win. He allowed four hits, including a three-run homer to the Indees’ Rod Fransman.Boom belted a homer and singled home a pair of runs for the winners. Metzger scored three runs, homered and drove in four runs for Hills, which scored eight runs in the fourth inning.Jim Nibbelink, who homered in the game, took the pitching loss for the Indees. The Indees beat Steen 2-0 to reach the championship game.Bosch recorded the first two-home run game of his career and Hills belted three consecutive homers (from Matt Metzger, Pete Gehrke and Bosch) in the seventh inning during a 12-9 win over Beaver Creek.Hills scored seven runs in the second inning of the game.Bosch was 3-3 at the plate against Beaver Creek. Tyson Metzger, Greg Van Wyhe Matt Metzger and Gehrke slapped two hits each.Chuck Hoffman tossed a complete game to get the win. He allowed 11 hits and fanned seven Beaver Creek batters.Bosch tossed a one-hitter (a third-inning single) and faced the minimum of 15 batters during an 11-0 win over Hardwick. He fanned four batters on the way to his first shutout of the season.Van Wyhe went 4-4 at the plate, scored three runs and drove in two counters during the game. Matt Boeve homered for the winners. Boom, Toby Smythe, Matt Metzger and Kurt Bly slapped two hits each against Hardwick.Van Wyhe delivered a two-run double in the seventh inning to lift Hills to a 4-3 victory over Lester. Lester moved in front 3-2 in the top of the seventh before Van Wyhe’s two-out hit in the bottom of the frame settled the issue.Van Wyhe reached base with two hits and two walks against Lester, igniting a string of reaching base 10 straight times, and 15 of 16 times during the tournament.Hoffman picked up the pitching win, limiting Lester to seven hits and fanning four batters.

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