area sports digest 8/4

Heartland Nationals win three games in tourney

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Heartland Nationals, an area girls fast-pitch softball team, won three games Saturday to clinch at least third place in the 14-under national tournament.

Heartland will play Jefferson Parish (La.) at 9 a.m. today in the loser's bracket final. The winner advances to the 11 a.m. championship round against unbeaten Homewood (Ill.), where it would need to win twice.

Whitney Horrell pitched a two-hitter during the Nationals' 3-0 victory over an Indiana squad. She struck out five and walked two. Miranda Schlosser had two of Heartland's six hits.

Jamie Pobst fired a two-hitter as the Nationals beat a team from Wisconsin 5-1. She fanned three and walked none. Heartland had eight hits, led by Kegan Orr with three, along with two RBIs. Tori St. Cin had two hits and scored twice.

Schlosser and Sarah Cook combined on the shutout as Heartland defeated a Texas team 3-0. Starter Schlosser gave up five hits in three innings. Cook allowed three hits in four innings, with three strikeouts and no walks. St. Cin doubled twice to lead the Nationals' seven-hit attack.

-- From staff reports