Cardinals move record to 2-6 with three losses

The Garner-Hayfield-Ventura baseball team struggled, as they dropped three games, moving their record to 2-6.

Osage 6, GHV 4

It was fight to the finish when GHV traveled to Osage on Monday, June 3.

It was a slow game, with neither team scoring until the bottom of the third inning, when the Green Devils got a runner home.  GHV answered that in the top of the fourth when Sam Childress smacked a home run knotting the game, 1-1.  Osage scored again in the fourth.

The Cardinals had an exciting play in the  fifth inning, when a hard ground ball to the shortstop by Jared Shaw allowed Adreyn Fausett and Jordan  Upmeyer to score.  GHV took the lead, 3-2.

The Cards stretched the lead to 4-2 in the sixth inning when Rafe Van Dusseldorp singled on a line drive allowing Will Eastman to score.  Errors and a home run led to four runs in the sixth inning and eventually the victory for the Green Devils, 6-4.

“We had more opportunities to score, but we made some big mistakes on the base paths to limit our opportunities to do the damage we wanted with the bats,” said Coach Shawn Schlechter.  “Later in the game, Osage took advantage of our mistake by hitting a two-run home run.”

Jack Ermer took the loss on the mound.  He threw four innings, giving up five hits and two runs, while striking out two and walking three.  Dalton Graff provided relief.  He gave up four hits, four runs and struck out three.

“Jack has been our go-to arm so far this year.  He continues to fill up the strike zone and challenge hitters,” said Schlechter.  “Dalton threw well out of the bullpen, but we just couldn’t execute for him defensively.”

VanDusseldorp was two-for-three at the plate.  Shaw, Graff, Childress and Upmeyer had one hit apiece.

Shaw led the team with two RBIs.

Central Springs 4, GHV 2

A little too late was the name of the game for GHV, when they faced Central Springs on Wednesday, June 5.  The Cardinals just couldn’t get their offense fired up and lost a 4-2 contest to the Panthers.

“Central Springs’ starting pitcher gave us fits all night, and we refused to make the adjustment at the plate,” said Coach Shawn Schlechter.  “Our offense was extremely flat and couldn’t get anything going and didn’t put any pressure on the defense.”

Besides the second inning, Central Springs’ offense wasn’t firing on all cylinders either.  The Panthers scored all four runs in the second inning.

The Cardinal offense was quiet until the sixth inning.  Landon Dalbeck scored on an error with Sam Childress up to bat.  Childress singled on a hard ground ball to center field, allowing Dalton Graff to score.  That was the final run of the game with the Panthers gaining the 4-2 victory.

Jordan Upmeyer took the loss on the hill.  He allowed six hits and four runs over five and two-thirds innings.  He struck out five batters.

The Cards had five hits in the game.  Dalbeck, Graff, Childress, Brody Boehnke and Adreyn Fausett all had one hit apiece.

St. Ansgar 15, GHV 4

The Cardinals struggled Friday, June 7, when they hosted St. Ansgar.  GHV couldn’t contain the Saint bats and fell 15-4 to the heavy hitting team

GHV started strong in the first inning, unfortunately that was the only inning they managed to get any runners home.  Rafe Van Dusseldorp got the offense rolling with a hard single to center field, bringing in Jack Ermer.  A pop fly by Sam Childress brought both Dalbeck and Dalton Graff home.  The Cardinals took the lead, 3-2.  Another run was scored on a hard ground ball hit by Sam Wood, that brought in Van Dusseldorp, 4-2.

From there it was downhill for the Cards.  St. Ansgar went on to score 13 more runs over five innings to capture the win, 15-4.

Dalbeck led the team at the plate, going 2-2, and recording one double.  Ermer, Van Dusseldorp, Childress and Wood had one hit apiece.

Childress led the team in RBIs with two.

Jack Ermer was the losing pitcher.  He went three and two-thirds innings, allowing 12 runs on 10 hits and striking out three.  Dalbeck and Jared Shaw also saw time on the mound.  Dalbeck pitched two innings, allowing one hit and three runs.  Shaw finished with two strike-outs.