Cardinals wrap up 2019 season

(Above) GHV first baseman, Kevin Meyers, stretches for a throw to during the Cards 12-3 loss to Forest City in the Class 2A District Tournament on Saturday, June 13.   -Photo courtesy of Rick Ermer

by Michelle Watson

The Garner-Hayfield-Ventura baseball team didn’t have the end of the season they were hoping for.  The team dropped the final three games of the regular season and bowed out early in post-season play.  The Cardinals ended the season with a 5-20 record.

Emmetsburg 4, GHV 1

The Cardinal offense wasn’t firing on all its cylinders Monday, July 8, when they traveled to Emmetsburg.  GHV only managed to collect three hits in the game, compared to nine by the E-Hawks.

Emmetsburg got on the board with two runs in the second inning.  They followed that with a run in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead.

The Cardinals scored their run in the fifth inning.  Dalton Graff got on base after being hit by a pitch.  With two outs and a two strikes, Jordan Upmeyer hit a hard ground ball to center field, allowing Graff to score.

The E-Hawks got one more run in the fifth inning for the 4-1 victory.

Jack Ermer took the loss for the Cardinals on the mound.  He allowed nine hits and four runs over five and one-third innings.  He struck out three.  Sam Wood provided some relief, striking out one batter.

“Jack threw well enough to earn the win on the mound, we just couldn’t string anything together offensively,” said Coach Shawn Schlechter.

Providing GHV’s three hits were Upmeyer, Wood and Sam Childress.

ELC 17, GHV 2

The Cards fell behind early and just couldn’t get back in the game when they fell to Estherville-Lincoln Central on Wednesday, July 10, at home.

A disastrous first inning set GHV back early.  The Midgets collected seven runs in the first inning on two doubles, a homer and an error.  The Cardinals struggled to contain the bats of ELC.  The Midgets scored one run in the second inning and seven more in the third to take a 15-0 lead.

The Cardinals got on the board in the third inning, sparked by a double by Jack Ermer.  Jared Shaw followed that with a triple, allowing Ermer to score.  With two outs, VanDusseldorp hit a sacrifice fly to left field, plating Shaw, 15-2.

The Midgets held GHV scoreless for the remainder of the game.  ELC scored two more runs in the fifth for the final, 17-2.

“We knew going into the game that we would have to play our best brand of baseball and we didn’t have it tonight,”  said Coach Shawn Schlechter.  “We have up too many free bases and they hit the ball hard.”

Dalton Graff took the loss for the Cards.  He pitched one inning, allowing five hits and seven runs.  The Cards subbed in a lot of pitchers.  Jordan Upmeyer, Nathan Roberts, Landon Dalbeck, Sam Wood and Dalton Mills all took a turn on the mound.  Upmeyer and Mills both had two strike-outs apiece.

GHV only managed three hits, while the Midgets collected 11, including two home runs and five doubles.  Ermer, Shaw and Brody Boehnke collected the hits.

N-K 13, GHV 6

The Cardinals had some highs and some lows on Thursday, July 11, when they hosted Northwood-Kensett.  Despite the 13-6 loss, GHV did have some highlights.

One of the highs was scoring five runs in the fourth inning.  A low point was the fact that they already trailed by 11.  Rafe VanDusseldorp was the first to cross the plate on an error by the pitcher.  The pitch also advanced  Adreyn Fausett, who was a courtesy runner for Brody Boehnke.  Fausett scored next on a wild pitch.  With bases loaded, Dakota Burress was walked, plating Dalton Graff.  A new pitcher resulted in another walk, 11-4.  The final run of the inning was scored on a fielder’s choice by Landon Dalbeck that scored Noah Boeckman.

The Cards managed one more run in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly by VanDusseldorp that brought in Dalbeck.  N-K scored a run in the fifth and one in the seventh for the final, 13-6.

The Northwood-Kensett bats were hot, as they collected 12 hits compared to GHV’s four.  Dalbeck led the team with two doubles and one RBI.  Graff and Jordan Upmeyer collected the other two hits.

Noah Boeckman took the loss.  He allowed nine hits and 11 runs over three and one-third innings.  He struck out two.  Also seeing time on the mound was Jared Shaw, Sam Wood, Jordan Upmeyer and Graff.  Upmeyer pitched two innings and gave up two hits and one run while striking out three.

Forest City 12, GHV 3

The Cardinals bowed out of the Class 2A District Tournament early after facing Forest City on Saturday, June 13.  The Indians got to move on in District play following a 12-3 victory over GHV.

“Our guys fought until the very last pitch and didn’t give in, we just came up short,” said Coach Shawn Schlechter.

The Cardinals started strong, scoring two runs in the second inning to keep pace with the Indians.  Dalton Graff crossed the plate first on a wild pitch.  With bases loaded, Rafe VanDusseldorp was hit by a pitch, allowing Upmeyer to score, giving GHV a 2-1 lead.  The Indians followed that with two runs of their own in the second inning and two in the third, 5-2.  Forest City put together a very strong fifth inning, scoring five runs and putting the game out of reach for the Cardinals.  GHV scored one more run in the sixth inning after Jack Ermer hit a single allowing Sam Childress to cross the plate.

The Cardinals didn’t have trouble getting hits in the contest; their problem came from getting the runners home.  GHV had nine hits in the game, compared to 12 for the Indians.  Ermer and Landon Dalbeck had two hits apiece.  VanDusseldorp, Jared Shaw, Brody Boehnke, Dalton Graff and Childress all had one hit apiece.

Ermer suffered the loss for the Cardinals.  He pitched five innings, giving up 12 hits and 12 runs.

The Cardinals ended their season with a 5-20 record.  They team will say good-bye to only two seniors, Noah Boeckman and Dakota Burress.

“This group has great potential in the future as a lot of talent returns.  I’m looking forward to seeing what damage will be done next year,” said Schlechter.