Lions rack up some big wins

   The Clear Lake baseball team racked up some big wins during the week, but probably none bigger than knocking off defending North Central Conference champion St. Ed’s, 8-2.  Later in the week Iowa Falls-Alden surprised the Lions, topping them 3-1.  The Lions’ record now stands at 11-3.

CL 12, C-G 1
    The Lions broke open a 2-1 game in the sixth inning with a combination of hits, walks and Cowboy errors, resulting in nine Lion runs.   Two more in the final frame gave Clear Lake a 12-1 win on the road.
    “I thought two of the biggest at bats of that (sixth) inning were back-to-back hits by Luke Schiller and Logan Kracht,” said Coach Seth Thompson.  They were the only hits the seventh and eighth batters in the order had, but each brought in two runs.  Kracht’s was a double.
    Michael Keeran was outstanding in his first outing on the mound this season.  He pitched five and one-third innings, striking out 10 and walking two.  He allowed just four hits.
    “Ozzie (Adams) came in to get a couple outs in the bottom of the fifth and kind of stole the win away from Michael, but Michael did most of the work and probably deserved the win more than Ozzie,” added the coach.
    Keeran was also the leader at the plate with three hits.  Jake Kockler and Jerry Kockler had two hits and one RBI apiece.

CL 18, West Fork 0
    Ozzie Adams teed off on a first inning pitch for a home run and set the tone for a romp over West Fork Tuesday, June 5.  Tanner Truesdell finished off the offensive explosion in the fifth with another homer, making the score 18-0.  With a pair of hits apiece, Adams finished the game with four RBI and Truesdell had three.
    Jake Kockler, Tanner Tusha and Gavin Sheakley also had two hits each.  Kockler earned three RBI with his hits, which included a triple.  Tusha’s was also an extra base hit; his double scored one.
    Truesdell was the winning pitcher.  The senior gave up just one hit, struck out four and walked one in four innings pitched.  Jake Kockler threw the final inning, walking three and striking out two.
    “This was a great game for our team because we got to see a lot of JV players get some varsity at bats, and they stepped right in there and smacked the ball around pretty hard,” said Coach Thompson.  “I thought Tanner, like Michael the night before, was outstanding in his first varsity appearance of the year on the mound.”

CL 8, St. Ed’s 2
    The Lions chalked up their biggest win to date on Wednesday with an 8-2 victory over St. Ed’s.
    “This was a huge win for our team and for our program,” said Coach Thompson.  “St. Eds is the defending conference champions and a preseason favorite to win it again, so for us to beat them with their best pitcher and one of the best pitchers we will see all year on the mound was a great accomplishment for our kids.”
    Gavin Sheakley and Ozzie Adams shared pitching duties in the game and did an effective job of holding down the potent Gael offense.  Adams got the win, allowing just one hit and striking out three in three and one-third innings.
    Meanwhile, the Lions put pressure on the St. Ed’s defense with a string of three innings (4th-6th) where they scored seven runs.  The coach said Tanner Tusha’s squeeze bunt in the fifth really broke the game open and gave the Lions the momentum they needed to finish off the visitor.
    Tanner Truesdell continued to swing a hot bat, getting three hits, including a double, in four appearances at the plate.  He picked up two RBI in - Read More Via e-Edition