Friday, May 15, 1998. Hempfield 10, Solanco 7
The 1998 Lancaster-Lebanon League Championship was an improbable accomplishment. Hempfield qualified for the League Tournament with a 15-7 record and matched up against a heavily favored Donegal Indians squad. The Indians had their own motivation: their long-time head coach, Al Brooks, had announced his retirement at season’s end and they wanted to help him capture the League title that had eluded him for 36 years as Donegal's head coach.
Hempfield advanced through the first round, winning by a score of 8-6. Aided by a six run 5th inning, Hempfield rallied from a 4-2 deficit and hung on for an 8-6 win. Ryan Denlinger, Ryan Butt and Aaron Herr combined on the victory; Doug Bechtold contributed with a key home run during the Hempfield rally.
In the semi-final game Hempfield was a heavy underdog yet again. Facing off against Section One foe Cedar Crest, who was riding a 13 game winning streak and boasted a 20-2 overall record, the Black Knights had a tall task with Falcon ace Matt Knox on the mound. Hempfield countered with Aaron Herr. Herr authored a complete game victory and was aided by the Hempfield offense which again used a big 5th inning rally to take a lead that would not be relinquished. Doug Bechtold contributed with an RBI double in the 5th, and Hempfield advanced by a score of 7-4.
In the League Championship game, Hempfield faced the Solanco Golden Mules and defeated them by a score of 10-7. Solanco entered the game sporting a 19-3 record. Geoff Eastman, Jesse Bradley, Matt Roberts and Ryan Butt combined to bend but not break, striking out six and walking six Mule batters. Solanco left the bases loaded in the 3rd and 5th innings. Hempfield was down 7-4 before scoring six runs in the 5th and 6th innings to take a lead they would not surrender. Ryan Vitti and Matt Roberts blasted home runs in the 2nd and 5th innings, respectively, and Chris Biechler and Chad Gunzenhauser added two run doubles in the 1st and 6th innings, respectively.
Doug Bechtold went 6 for 10 at the plate during the League Playoffs with six RBI and a home run. Matt Roberts went 5 for 11 with six RBI and a home run, and drove in the go-ahead runs against Donegal and Cedar Crest.
The 1998 League Championship was Hempfield’s 3rd in a row and was remarkable in one other sense. It was the first, and only, time that a League Champion did not qualify for the District 3 playoff tournament. Lancaster-Lebanon Teams that qualified for Districts in 1998 included Manheim Township, Cedar Crest, Donegal, Elco and Solanco.
