Lions are NCC champions!

Win over Webster City gives Lions first outright baseball title since 1965

The number two ranked (3A) Clear Lake baseball team earned its first outright North Central Conference title since 1965 with an 8-1 win over Webster City Monday night, July 8.   The Lions are now 27-3, which is the best record in Class 3A, and are 14-1 in conference play. 

The community is encouraged  to come out and support the Lions in their final home game of the season  tonight (Wednesday, July 10).  Junior varsity action will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the varsity taking the field against Bishop Garrigan at 7:30.

CL 8, WEBSTER CITY 1

In 2000 and 2001 Clear Lake had to share its NCC titles, but Monday the pleasure was all theirs as they topped Webster City on the road 8-1 to clinch the crown.

After spotting the Lynx (7-16, 5-11) a 1-0 lead after three innings, Clear Lake went to work. The Lions scored twice in the fourth to take the lead for good and then padded on four runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth.

“If you look at how this game unfolded, I think you can see really what makes this group of kids such a good team and why they ended up being conference champs.  As the game went on, these kids just got better and better, with our hitters adjusting to their pitcher and our pitcher adjusting to their hitters and the umpire’s zone,” said Lions Coach Seth Thompson.  “The first time through the order as a team we had one hit; the second time through we had three hits; and the third time through we had five hits including a home run.”

Pete Swenson, who has been swinging a hot bat of late, belted the homer.  Mitch Keeran led the team with three hits, including a double, in four at-bats.  He finished with two RBIs.  Gavin Sheakley had two hits, including a double.  Luke Schiller, Brock Adams, Matt Stephany and Jerry Kockler also all reached base with a hit.  

After giving up an unearned run in the second inning, senior southpaw Gavin Sheakley never let a Lynx player reach third base.  He struck out six of the last 10 batters.  He sat 14 batters down on strikeouts and walked just two.  Sheakley is now 10-0 on the season.  

“For these kids to win a conference title outright for the first time in the last 48 years of Clear Lake Baseball is a pretty special accomplishment and I think as a school and as a community we have a lot to be proud of.”

CL 16, H-D 6

The Lions flexed some offensive muscle in a 16-6 victory over Hampton-Dumont Monday, July 1.  Clear Lake scored four runs in the second and two in the third inning, then erupted for seven in the fourth.  

“A big reason for our team’s success this season is that we can get production from any part of our lineup on any given night, as we saw tonight with 10 of our 14 hits coming from the bottom four spots in our batting order,” said Coach Seth Thompson.  “We don’t let an opposing pitcher have too many easy innings and really the more uncomfortable you can make the opposing pitcher generally the better your chances for a win.”

Rowdy Yates, batting sixth in the order, had a team-high four hits in the game, good for one RBI.  Sophomore Brandon Tofte was next with one hit and three RBIs.  Pete Swenson batted eighth and smacked two hits, bringing in three runs and Jerry Kockler, batting ninth, had three hits and three RBIs.  Mitch Keeran also had multiple hits in the game with a home run and single.  

Sophomore Brandon Tofte was the winning pitcher.  He threw five innings, giving up six hits, walking three and striking out four.  Luke Schiller  - Read More Via e-Edition