Lions remain top ranked team in Class 2A; beat GHV

(Above) GHV’s Alek Goll makes the stretch to get Clear Lake’s Cooper Merrill out at first in Thursday night’s game.  The Lions topped the Cardinals, 11-8 in eight innings.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The weather was the big winner last week, as the Clear Lake varsity baseball team was only able to get in two games between rain storms.  With an 8-2 overall record and 2-1 mark in the North Central Conference, the Lions remain as the top ranked team in Class 2A.

A canceled Algona game has been rescheduled for June 28 and the Lions will face Mason City July 2 in another rescheduled game.

Humboldt 8, CL 7

It was a battle of two of the NCC’s best teams Monday, June 6.  In the end, Humboldt scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth and held off the Lions for an 8-7 win.

“We were up against one of the better pitchers not just in our conference but the entire state, so we know this was going to be a tough game on the road against the defending conference champs,” said Clear Lake Coach Seth Thompson. “We battled hard, I thought, and managed to get seven earned runs off him, which I am guessing is more earned runs than he will give up the rest of the season outside of playing Clear Lake. However their offense was just a little too much for us on this particular night, and we couldn’t keep them off the scoreboard enough to get the win.”

The Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first while facing Humboldt ace Chris Witzke.  But the lead was short lived, as the Wildcats scored three in the bottom of the first and two more in the second.  The Lions bounced back with three more runs in the third and two in the fifth to take a 7-6 lead into the sixth.

Humboldt touched Brad Burns, who came in to relieve starter Ben Mason, with four hits and two runs, making him the losing pitcher. Cooper Merrill finished out the game, striking out two in one inning on the mound.

Witzke struck out 12 in a complete-game performance for the Wildcats.

Tanner Huey had a three-run homer for the Lions while Ethan McHenry had a solo shot.  Burns and Zach Lester each had triples.

CL 11, GHV 8 (10)

Three runs in the 10th inning gave the Lions an 11-8 non-conference win over Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Thursday, June 9, in Garner.

“Garner turned out to be a much-improved team from last year after graduating no seniors, and this turned out to be a good game that tested the resolve of both teams,” said Clear Lake Head Coach Seth Thompson.  “I thought we bent at times but never broke, and it was great to see the determination these kids had to not lose this game.”

Ben Mason got the win for Clear Lake in relief.  Mason pitched three and one-third innings and allowed two runs.  He struck out five and walked just one.  Cooper Merrill threw six and two-thirds innings, giving up six runs, four of them earned, on six hits.  He struck out seven and walked two.

In the top of the first, Clear Lake grabbed the early lead, 1-0.  The Lions’ rally started when Merrill singled and stole second.  Mason doubled to score Merrill for the first run.

The Cards brought home two runs in the second inning for a brief lead, as Clear Lake plated two more runs in the third.  However, the score was knotted at 3-3 in the bottom of the third.

In the fifth, the Lions struck again with one run, making the score 4-3 in their favor.  After a scoreless sixth inning, the visiting Lions scored two in the top of the seventh and seemed to have a victory almost in hand.  But again the Cards fought back and sent the game into extra innings with three runs in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single by Cade Bamrick and two-out two-run single by Payton James.

Both teams scored twice in the eighth and were blanked in the ninth.

Clear Lake got the game winning runs in the 10th when it scored three runs on an RBI double by Merrill, an error and a fielder’s choice.

“We had a number of kids step up in the last few innings and do some nice things offensively and Ben got better as his night went on, which is awesome to see from your pitcher,” said Coach Thompson.  “Our kids have found themselves in tight spots countless times before and this just gives them one more positive experience to draw from down the road.”

GHV Coach Shawn Schlechter also took many positives away from the game.

“It is always exciting squaring off against the number one team in the state—our guys showed that with energy and four in our pregame preparation.  They carried that into the game and developed an edge with it to help them compete,” said Schlechter.  “The competition levels for both teams was outstanding.  I can’t fault our teams’ effort.  We just came up a little short.”

The Lions had 13 hits in the game, led by Merrill with four.  Zach Lester finished with three hits and two RBIs. Two doubles by Mason scored three Lion runs.

The Cards were led at the plate by Bamrick, Alek Goll and Harley Forry with two hits apiece. As a team, GHV finished with 10 hits off Lion pitching.