Lions bounce back after a pair of losses

(Above) Clear Lake catcher Wesley Wharton made the out at home as confirmed by the umpire during the Forest City game.  The Indians defeated the Lions, 12-3.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

by Marianne Gasaway

The Lions bounced back from a pair of losses early in the week and won two of three games played before the holiday break.  The team is now 14-11 overall with five regular season games remaining.

Humboldt 6, CL 1

The Lions fell behind early and couldn’t come back in a 6-1 loss to Humboldt on Tuesday, June 29.  

The Wildcats struck early, as  a sacrifice fly in the first inning scored one.  The game was close until the sixth, when they plated five more, thanks to a single, a home run and error.

Jett Neuberger took the loss for the Lions.  The left hander went five and two-thirds innings, allowing six runs on four hits and striking out 12.

The Lions out-hit Humboldt six to four.  Neuberger and Austin Warnke provided most of the offense, with Neuberger getting two hits and Warnke going three-for-four at the plate.  Caden Jones had the other Clear Lake hit.

Clear Lake’s lone run came in the seventh inning when Warnke doubled on a fly ball to center field, scoring Jack Crane, who had reached on an error.

FC 12, CL 3

The Lions struggled to get their offense going on Wednesday, June 30, and were dispatched by the Forest City Indians, 12-3.

Forest City jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Lions clawed out one run in the bottom of the frame.  Austin Warnke walked, stole second and scored on a ground ball hit by Eric Ritter.

In the bottom of the third, the Lions tied things up at two when Caden Jones singled, scoring Tyres Green-Harrington.  

Forest City pulled away for good with four runs in the fourth, and two more in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

The Lions’ only other run came in the fifth when Jones was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on a hard ground ball hit by Eric Ritter.

Joe Faber took the loss on the mound.  The hurler allowed six hits and six runs over three innings, striking out one.

Jones, Austin Warnke and Jack Crane each had one hit for the Lions.

CL 14, C-G-D 8

The basepaths were crowded Wednesday, June 30, when the Lions tangled with Clarion-Goldfield-Dows.  Clear Lake came out on top in the high scoring affair, 14-8.

Clarion scored first in the second inning, but Clear Lake was steady.  The Lions got on the board with two runs in the third inning, two in the fourth and three in the fifth.  

In the fourth, PJ Feuerbach singled, scoring Eric Ritter, who had reached on a line drive down the third baseline. Jack Crane singled on the first pitch of his at-bat, scoring Carson Toebe, who was courtesy running for Feuerbach.

A five-run sixth inning provided cushion for a late comeback attempt by the Cowboys.  They scored three runs in the sixth and seventh, but it wasn’t enough.  Jack Crane, Feuerbach, Jett Neuberger, Andrew Crane and Ben Loge each had RBIs in the big inning.

Feuerbach was credited with the victory.  The pitcher went six innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and striking out two.  Andrew Formanek and Andrew Crane entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief.

The Lions had 13 hits on the day.  Austin Warnke, Neuberger, Feuerbach and Loge all collected multiples hits for Clear Lake.  Warnke went four-for-five at the plate to lead the offensive attack.   Warnke also had three of the Lions’ eight stolen bases in the game.

Algona 10, CL 4

The Lions watched their Thursday night game with Algona slip away early and couldn’t recover.  Clear Lake dropped the North Central Conference matchup, 10-4.

The Lions scored one run in the second inning when Algona’s pitching was struggling.  Andrew Crane was hit by a pitch and advanced when Jett Neuberger and Andrew Formanek walked back-to-back.  A ground ball hit by Caden Jones scored Crane.

Trailing 10-1 after five, the Lions again were helped by Algona pitching miscues.  This time Jones was hit by a pitch and advanced on a passed ball.  Austin Warnke joined him on base, thanks to a walk.  Alex Brcka and Andrew Crane were also hit by pitches in the inning and Warnke scored when Jett Neuberger was hit.

More hit batsmen in the seventh helped to give the Lions two more runs in the seventh.  Jones was hit and Warnke walked to start the rally.  After a strikeout, Brcka was hit, then Andrew Crane.  Jones and Warnke eventually scored after Neuberger was hit.

Ritter was the losing pitcher.  He lasted five and two-thirds innings, allowing nine hits and 10 runs while striking out three.  

The Lions had just two hits.  Andrew Formanek smacked a home run in the sixth and Jones reached base on a single in the first.

CL 4, North Lion 1

The Lions got back on the winning track Friday with a 4-1 victory over the North Lion Lynx.

Two runs in the first gave Clear Lake all it would need.  Eric Ritter doubled and Andrew Formanek lifted a sacrifice fly to bring in the runs.  In the third, Ritter scored on a Jett Neuberger single.

The final run came in the seventh when Neuberger again singled, scoring Ritter, who had walked.

Carson Toebe was on the mound for the win.  He allowed six hits and one run over six innings, striking out five.  Formanek threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen. He recorded the last three outs to earn a save.

The Lions has seven hits.  Crane, Ritter and Neuberger had two hits apiece to lead the team.