Posted: Mar 19, 2012

Apaches Honor HRH With Sweep

Article Courtesy of Shane Stark, Tyler Morning Telegraph.

HRH was painted behind home plate at Mike Carter Field, in memory of someone very special to Tyler Junior College baseball. Moments before the game, the public address announcer offered a moving tribute as pink balloons filled the early spring sky.

Soon after, assistant coach Hart Hering and his family threw out the ceremonial first pitches to begin the Apaches' doubleheader sweep of Arkansas Baptist. Sure, baseball was on everyone's mind on this calm and picturesque Saturday afternoon, but America's Pastime came second to Hartley Renee Hering - the Herings' beloved baby girl.

"It was really special," said coach Hering, whose NJCAA Division III second-ranked Apaches produced 8-5 and 15-3 wins. "It was an emotional time, but it's something I'm glad we were able to do. I felt like it was a great event to celebrate her life and recognize that she was important to a lot of people."

In early January, Hartley Renee Hering was born prematurely and passed away from natural causes six days later. She was the third child of coach Hering and his wife Charlene, who also have two sons; Holden, 5, and Hayes, 2.

In the weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds since, the Herings have experienced the darkest trials and tribulations of life - the loss of a child. And along the way, they've been at the epicenter of their Apache family's collective thoughts and prayers.

"When the guys came to me and said they had some ideas on how to celebrate my daughter's life, I was kind of blown away by their efforts to do something," coach Hering said. "It shows how good of kids they are. They really did a good job of putting things together and running ideas by us. It felt like this was a great idea and was something we wanted to do."

In addition to the opening ceremony, a fundraiser was held in which donations could be made for each hit and run by TJC; all proceeds going to the Hartley Hering scholarship. And the Apaches continued to do their part, collecting a combined 23 runs and 20 hits in the two games while wearing pink socks, a color that symbolizes the birth of a baby girl.

"It's not every day you get to go play for a certain cause," TJC coach Doug Wren said. "It was an emotional day, especially for the Hering family. But it was also for us as a team; we went through this right beside them. It was a good day to put some good baseball out and hopefully raise some money for a good cause."

Coach Hering was equally proud of the team's effort.

"It was a difficult and emotional day early on today, but once we got past the opening ceremonies it became just baseball," coach Hering said. "But it was baseball for a good cause. Our guys did their part, scored some runs and got some hits and that's what it was all about."

Game 1

The Apaches (22-5) scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead for good after falling behind 2-0 in the top of the frame.

Colton Burleson went the distance to earn the win, allowing one earned run on eight hits while striking out five.

Taylor Drolette went 3 for 3 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run to lead the Apaches at the plate. Tyler Ernest went 2 for 4 with two runs, while Estevan Hernandez contributed a pair of RBIs.

Game 2

TJC fell behind 3-0 heading into the bottom of the second, but exploded for four runs and added another four in the third to take command. The 10-run mercy rule went into effect in the seventh.

Zach Aitken got the win in five innings of work, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks.

Jon McManemin finished 2 for 3 with five RBIs and a run, while Ernest added a hit and three RBIs and Ron Reemts drove in a pair.

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Game 2

Tyler Junior College 15, Arkansas Baptist 3 (7)

A. Baptist 120 000 0 - 3 8 1

Tyler 044 331 x - 15 10 1

Griffin, Gilley (2), Garner (3), Vance (4), Baker (5), Noll (6) and Stringer; Zach Aitken, Kyle Sargent (6), Will Abbott (7) and Jarrett Zmolik, Hunter Rekieta; W - Aitken; L - Griffin. 2B - TJC: Trevor Clifton.

RECORDS - Tyler 22-5.

NEXT UP - Tyler at Concordia JV, 1 p.m. (DH) Monday.

Game 1

Tyler Junior College 8, Arkansas Baptist 2

A. Baptist 100 010 0 - 2 8 2

Tyler 000 053 x - 8 10 1

Pirl, Brown (6) and Castleberry; Colton Burleson and Trevor Clifton; W - Burleson; L - Pirl. 2B - TJC: Taylor Drolette (2), Jacob Soisson.