Cardinals down Lions, 8-5, in baseball action

(Above) GHV’s Ryan Meyers puts a stop to Clear Lake’s Tanner Huey when he tried to steal second base during Thursday night’s game.  The Cardinals won the battle, 8-5.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

A strong seventh inning set the stage for the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Cardinals to defeat the Clear Lake Lions on Thursday, June 8, in Clear Lake.

Clear Lake was first on the board.  Erik McHenry was walked and advanced the bases.  He was on third when Jacob Peterson hit a line drive that brought McHenry home.  Zach Lester crossed the base for the Lions in the third inning.  In the fourth inning, Tanner Huey hit a sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Evan Krause to score giving Clear Lake a 3-0 lead.

The Cardinals finally got something going in the sixth inning.  Brady Hess and Nick Joynt got on base with singles, and Dane Whipple was walked to load the bases for GHV.  Anthony Sherwood knocked a single line-drive to left field that brought in Hess and Joynt, 3-2.

Not to be outdone, the Lions got two runs across in the bottom of the sixth.  McHenry was walked and made his way around the bases.  Peterson hit a ground ball that brought McHenry home, and Peterson scored on a shortstop error.  The score was 5-2 heading into the seventh inning.

The Cardinals came alive in the seventh.  Ryan Kozisek scored first on a single by Hess.  Hess scored on a grounder by Dane Whipple. The Cardinals trailed by one, when Cade Bamrick singled on a line drive to left field, bringing in Joynt and Holden Larson.  The Lions couldn’t put anything together in the seventh and the score held, 8-5, giving GHV the victory.

“We have been very lucky over the years to be at the other end of games like this, but obviously it can happen any night.  On this particular night, we did a nice job of building a lead throughout the game, but saw it slip away in the last inning,” said Clear Lake Coach AJ Feurbach.

Sherwood earned the win for GHV.  He tossed two and two-third innings, surrendering two runs, one hit and striking out one.  Colton Schroeder pitched four innings, giving up five hits, three runs and he struck out three.

McHenry took the loss for Clear Lake. He pitched one inning, surrendering five runs, and three hits.

GHV collected 10 hits in the game.  Kozisek, Hess, Bamrick and Landon Dalbeck each collected multiple hits.

Clear Lake had five hits.  McHenry led the Lions with two hits, one being a double.

“I thought that both teams played well and it was an exciting game to be a part of,” said Feurbach.