A wild first week for Clear Lake baseball team

The Clear Lake baseball team started the season ranked number two in Class 3A.  After a wild first week during which the Lions went 2-2, it remains to be seen if the ranking will change.  The wins were over number 10 ranked Charles City, while the losses came in a doubleheader played against Class 1A number seven rated Newman Catholic.
    This week the Lions continue a long stretch of games, playing at Hampton-Dumont tonight (Wednesday, May 30), home on Friday, June 1 against Bishop Garrigan, at Mason City Newman Saturday, at Clarion-

Goldfield Monday and at West Fork Tuesday, June 5.

CL 10, CC 6
    The Lions opened the season with a 10-6 win on the road at Charles City Monday, May 21. 
    “We put pressure on their defense throughout the entire game, and although we missed a few chances to score early, we finally broke through later in the game to take a lead and add to it,” said Clear Lake Coach Seth Thompson.  “I thought we played very well defensively for our first night out.”
    Gavin Sheakley got the start on the mound for the Lions.  He struck out eight in seven innings pitched. 
    “Gavin did a nice job of battling through some tough spots to complete the game and help give his team the win,” said Coach Thompson.
    Michael Keeran led the Lions at the plate, picking up three hits and scoring twice.  Sheakley also helped his cause with three hits in three appearances.  Logan Kracht, Tanner Truesdell, Tanner Tusha and Luke Schiller had two hits apiece.  One of Truesdell’s blasts was a triple, while Tusha included a double in his total. They earned three and two RBIs respectively.
    The Lions had 15 hits in the win.

Newman 4, CL 3
Newman 5, CL 1
    Despite losing a number of seniors from its 2010 roster, Newman Catholic proved it is still a good team, sweeping the Lions in a doubleheader played May 22.  In the first game, a late charge by the Lions fell short and they were defeated 4-3.  In the nightcap, Newman had a five-run first inning on their way to a 5-1 five-inning win.    The second game put the Knights in the championship game of the Lou Koenigsfeld Classic at Charles City; the Lions went to the opposite bracket.
    “This was a disappointing loss for us, but the nice part about early non-conference losses is that they usually help expose weaknesses we might have individually and as a team,” said Coach Thompson.  “I have always felt that playing good teams early in the season is a good thing because it allows you to see what areas need the most work.  We had a few mistakes running the bases and offensively we had some bad at-bats early on.”
    In the first game the Lions scored one run in the third and managed two in the fifth. 
    Zac Bendickson and Ozzie Adams each had two hits. Bendickson’s were both doubles and Adams reached second on one of his hits. 
    Adams took the loss on the mound.  The senior hurler gave up six hits and walked four in seven innings pitched.
    The Lions committed four errors.
    The frustration of a close loss in the first game may have given the Knights a leg up in the second contest.  They jumped on pitcher Zac Bendickson early and went on to win, 5-1. 
    “I thought we clearly carried our frustration from the disappointing game one loss into game two, and in - Read More Via e-Edition