The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Clutch hit in eighth lifts Hawken to win
Khalil Suggs drives in go-ahead run with triple; Hawks’ Thompson outduels Preppers’ Mitchell
It was a pitchers’ duel in a nonconference matchup between Hawken and University on May 6.
Calvin Mitchell for University allowed one run on four hits while striking out 10 in seven innings of work. But he was one-upped by Eli Thompson, who also allowed only one run on five hits and struck out three. He pitched all eight innings for the Hawks.
Khalil Suggs found a hole in the top of the eighth, and his RBI triple sealed the win for Hawken, 2-1.
Hawken is 17-4 on the season, while University fell to 12-8.
Thompson’s performance was impressive, as he allowed nothing more than a double all day, and had batters hit the ball into double plays multiple times. Coach Aaron Brandt was impressed with his team from the top down.
“Eli was all over the place today, pounding the strike zone,” said Brandt. “He made them put the ball in play, and early in the game he frustrated them. He had them hitting pop-ups in the infield, and when they hit the ball hard, our defenders made the play.
“Jalen Suggs was able to track down three or four well-hit balls in the outfield and that was big for us.”
While Thompson was performing from the mound and Jalen Suggs was tracking down balls in the outfield, the other Suggs twin not only had a good day in the infield, but was also the deciding factor for the win. Khalil Suggs came to bat in the top of the eighth after Ryan McMullen walked. Khalil Suggs hit a ball to right field that was deep enough to bring McMullen home, and gave the Hawks the lead after five innings of deadlock.
“I was just trying to move it onto the next guy like always,” said Suggs. “He wanted to throw a specific pitch, it was the one I wanted, but a little outside. I was able to put it the other way than it was pitched and it was great running on Ryan’s part.”
While Hawken walked away with the win, University put up a challenge for the entire game. It started with Mitchell on the mound, and the defenders didn’t let balls past them outside of the one in the eighth.
Peter Bambakidis got the Preppers on the scoreboard, but University wasn’t be able to plate another runner. Hitting was an issue, and coach Rob McNerney knew the moments were there.
“It came down to execution,” said McNerney. “We had a lot of opportunities in the game with 12 guys left on base. We had plenty of chances but couldn’t get that timely hit that we needed.”
The Preppers will try to stop their two-game losing streak when they return to the field to take on VASJ on May 7 in another nonconference clash. Hawken looks to make it four wins in a row when it returns to Chagrin Valley Conference action to take on Geneva.