Cardinals top North Iowa; split games with Belmond-Klemme

 It was a slower week for the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura baseball team, playing on only two days, due to the July 4th holiday.

Belmond-Klemme 5, GHV 2
 On Wednesday, July 2, the Cardinals had to wrap up one game against Belmond-Klemme before they could start a new one. The first game of the night was a continuation of a game that had been rained out on June 16.

 The bad weather on June 16 didn’t dampen the Broncos’ scoring ability, as they had a 3-1 lead following the third inning. B-K went on to score a run in each of the fifth and seventh innings, while the Cardinals could only manage one more run in the seventh inning for the final 5-2 Bronco victory.
 Both pitchers threw all seven innings and both pitched strong games. GHV’s Josh Theobald threw 10 strikes, walked four and gave up five hits, while B-K’s Elijah Kinseth had 13 strike-outs, walked two and gave up six hits.
 Theobald also led the team at the plate, collecting a single and a double. He also scored one of the Cardinal’s two runs and he stole one base.
 Alek Goll also connected on two hits and he had an RBI.
 Jim Ermer had one hit and he scored the other Cardinal run.

GHV 10, Belmond-Klemme 6
 The second game of the night went much better for the Cardinals, as they cruised to a 10-6 victory over Belmond-Klemme.
 The GHV bats were hot, as they collected 12 hits compared to the Broncos’ four.
 By the end of the fourth inning, the Cardinals led 5-1. GHV stretched the lead to 9-1 by the end of the sixth inning. To give the Broncos credit, they didn’t throw in the towel and scored five runs in the seventh inning to close the gap. GHV held on for the 10-6 victory.
 Spencer Shaw had a good night on the mound. The winning pitcher struck out nine batters, walked four and gave up four hits.
 Shaw also had a good night on offense, knocking a single and a triple. He recorded two RBIs and led the team in scoring with three runs.
 Collecting two hits apiece were Alek Goll, Cade Baker and Holden Hutcheson. Josh Theobald only had one hit, but it was a powerful, bases loaded double, that brought in three runners. One of Baker’s hits was also a double.
 Hutcheson and Shaw had two RBIs apiece.
 Scoring two runs apiece were Baker and Hutcheson. Jake Wolf, Jim Ermer and Harry Roberts also scored.

GHV 7, North Iowa 1
 The Cardinals hosted North Iowa on Thursday, July 3. The Bison couldn’t compete with GHV’s heavy hitting, bowing to the Cardinals 7-1.
 The game was slow, except for the fourth inning, when the Cardinals scored all seven of their runs. North Iowa scored their lone run in the sixth inning.
 Payton James pitched the entire seven innings and got the win. He struck-out one batter and allowed five hits.
 Jim Ermer hit a double that knocked in two runners. He also scored one run himself. Braeden Meints and Spencer Shaw also had doubles, one RBI apiece and they each scored a run.
 Josh Theobald and Holden Hutcheson each had two hits, had RBIs and scored one run apiece.
 Also scoring was Cade Baker and Cory Boeckman.