Shelby Whippets drop third straight
Shelby boys baseball dropped their third game in a row, losing to Clear Fork 13-0 on Thursday evening at the Whippets Athletic Complex.
In a battle for a share of first place in the Midohio Athletic Conference, the Whippet bats were silenced, missed early opportunities and sloppy defense led to the run rule loss.
The Whippets loaded the bases the first two innings but failed to score. After that, Shelby managed two hits the remaining four innings.
After Clear Fork scored a run in the top of the first inning, Nic Eyster and Alex Bruskotter both walked.
A fielder’s choice at home was the first out, then a base running blunder was the second out. Quinton Albert lined a base hit up the middle and an Eli Schwemley walk loaded the bases, but a strikeout ended the first inning scoring threat.
Shelby again loaded the bases in the second inning. Canden Dorsey reached on an error, Issiah Beck sacrificed Dorsey to second. Tanner Hartz and Eyster both walked to fill the bases, but two fielder’s choices ended the second inning scoring opportunity.
Clear Fork starter Garrett Hotz then settled in and held Shelby to two hits and just six base runners the remainder of the game to pitch a complete game three hitter.
Shelby coach Jon Amicone spoke about his team’s early missed opportunities.
“We had multiple opportunities to take the lead early in the game to put pressure on them and we couldn’t get the hit when we needed it,” he said.
The Whippets also committed four errors for the second game in a row against a talented Clear Fork squad that banged out 18 hits and did not strike out during the game.
“Ultimately they got the two out hits and once we made a few errors the runs snow balled. They’re a great team, and we did nothing the last two days to earn a win so we wear these two losses and try to get a win tomorrow,” Amicone said.
Clear Fork added five runs in the fourth inning and seven more in a sloppy sixth inning.
Eyster took the loss on
the mound for Shelby. Eyster surrendered nine earned runs, 14 hits and a walk in five innings. Travis Slone pitched the final inning, allowing four unearned runs, four hits and a walk.
Albert, Maverick Noel and Hartz had the base hits for the Whippets.
Shelby drops to 8-5, 4-3 on the season. The Whippets were traveling to Madison on Friday and were hosting Huron on Saturday at noon in a pair of non-conference games.