Lions go 5-2 during busy week of ball

Eric Ritter, fires one across the plate in action last week.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The baseball season moved into high gear last week, with varsity games being played daily.  The Lions went 5-2 in the busy stretch, which included weekend games played in Council Bluffs.

CL 5, Algona 3

The Lions started the stretch by beating Algona 5-3 on Monday, June 14.

Clear Lake put up three runs in the sixth inning to extend their 2-1 lead through four frames.  The rally was led by singles from Eric Ritter and Andrew Formanek.

Algona tried to mount a comeback in the top of the seventh and plated two runs before being retired.

Ritter got the win on he mound.  The righty went six and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out nine.  Jett Neuberger came out of the bullpen for the final out and earned a save.

The Lions collected seven hits in the game.  Andrew Crane and Carson Toebe each had two hits in the win.  Austin Warnke, Ritter and Formanek contributed the other hits.

Dike-NH 6, CL 3

Dike New Hartford came out on top in a see-saw battle with the Lions Tuesday, June 15.    

The Wolverines scored two runs in the first and tacked on another in the third, but Clear Lake quickly tied the game up.  The scored one run in the third and two more in the   bottom of the fourth courtesy of a Caden Jones single.  

Dike-New Hartford pulled away for good with two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth.

The Lions tried their best for a comeback. With two out in the seventh inning,Toebe tripled on a ground ball past the third baseman.  Eric Ritter followed with a walk to keep the Lions’ hopes alive.  However, Crane grounded out and the Wolverines escaped with a 6-3 non-conference victory.

Carson Toebe took the loss for the Lions.  He surrendered six runs on 10 hits over six and two-thirds innings, striking out seven and walking zero.

Jones, Toebe and Austin Warnke had two hits apiece for the bulk of Clear lake’s eight hits in the game.  

CL 6, H-D 2

The Lions notched their second NCC victory in the week with a 6-2 final against Hampton-Dumont Wednesday, June 16.  

The Lions scored their runs early.  Three crossed the plate in the second, as Andrew Crane and Jett Neuberger each walked.  Andrew Formanek stepped to the plate and doubled on a hard ground ball to left field, scoring Crane and courtesy runner Zeke Nelson.  A line-drive single by PJ Feuerbach scored Formanek.

The third inning started with a homer by Ritter, putting the Lions up 4-0.  Andrew Crane reached base on a walk and scored when Formanek singled. 

Clear Lake’s final run came in the sixth after PJ Feuerbach tripled with one out.  His courtesy runner, Jack Crane, scored on an error by the catcher, pushing the lead to 6-2.

Neuberger earned the win for the Lions.  He lasted six innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out 14 and walking one.  Formanek threw one inning in relief.

Formanek and Feuerbach each had two hits.  As a team, the Lions finished with eight hits in the game.

CL 6, CC 5

The Lions stole the lead late and defeated the Charles City Comets 6-5 on Friday.  

The game was tied at 4-4 with the Lion batting in the top of the sixth when Eric Ritter doubled, scoring Caden Jones and Austin Warnke who both reached on singles.

The visiting Lions scored in the top of the first when lead-off batter Caden Jones doubled on a line drive.  With one out, Carson Toebe singled on a line drive to right field, sending Jones to third.  Ritter reached on an error to load the bases for Andrew Crane.  Crane singled on a fly ball, scoring Jones.  The inning ended with the bases still loaded.

Charles City opened up an early lead in the second inning.  A walk and passed ball put a runner at third with two outs.  A single scored the first run. The Comets tied things up in the bottom of the fifth when an error scored a run.

PJ Feuerbach earned the win for the Lions.  The senior surrendered five runs on four hits over five innings, striking out two.  Andrew Formanek came out of the bullpen in relief.  He recorded the last six outs to earn the save.

The Lions managed 11 hits in the game, with Formanek and Caden Jones getting three apiece.