Page 13 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 7-29-2015

“I like to think there’s no better team pre-
pared for tough situations.”
CLHS Head
Baseball Coach
Seth Thompson
Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter
Lions begin quest for the title
Lions start State
with a shut-out
The start of the State base-
ball tournament was worth the
wait Monday. Thunderstorms
delayed the 2A quarterfinals,
pushing Clear Lake’s 5 p.m.
start to 8:45, but the long day
ended in a 5-0 shutout over
Treynor (27-8).
Brock Adams threw a five-
hitter and struck out six to pick
up the win for the Lions, seeded
third in the tourney. Fellow
senior Matt Stephany was also
sharp, starting off the third in-
ning with a line drive hit and
scoring on an RBI triple by Ad-
ams in the third inning. Stepha-
ny picked up an RBI of his own
in the fourth with a base hit,
then made a diving catch in the
outfield in the sixth inning to
keep Treynor off the base paths.
Clear Lake Coach Seth
Thompson said before the game
that he thought defense might
be the difference between the
two teams Thursday night. The
Lions have the best fielding per-
centage in Class 2A, but Treynor
entered the State Tournament
with a good deal of confidence,
winning 21 of their last 22
games.
“It would be ideal for us
to hop out early and put them
on their heels early. We have
experience here,” said Thomp-
son. The Clear Lake team has
five players on its roster from its to all that were there and to the
2013 Class 3A state champion-
ship team.
Both teams had runners
reach base in the first inning,
but each pitcher was able to
catch the runner off-balance
and pick them off for outs.
Left-hander Ben Chapin did it
for a second time in the bottom
of the second inning, seemingly
rattling the Lions.
Stephany led off the third
inning with a line-drive single to
right field, but Chapin quickly
recovered with a strikeout and
got Ben Mason to fly out. The
tables quickly turned on the
Treynor starter when Adams
ripped an RBI triple to right
field, scoring Stephany and
putting the Lions ahead, 1-0.
Mitchell Keeran followed with
an RBI hit to centerfield, scor-
ing Adams.
Adams struck out three in
The players weren’t the only members of the team excited by the win
over St. Edmond. Here, coaches Seth Thompson and Michael Keeran
celebrate with a hug. -Reporter photos by Chris Barragy
Check out our website at www.clreporter.com
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photos
available
the top of the fourth to keep
momentum in Clear Lake’s fa-
vor.
With two outs in the fourth,
Tanner Truesdell hit a ground
ball to short, but a throwing er-
ror allowed the senior to go to
second base. Stephany stepped
to the plate and delivered a base
hit which had Truesdell dig-
ging for home. The throw to
the plate actually beat the run-
ner, but Truesdell successfully
slid under the tag to score, 3-0.
Treynor continued to unravel,
as Cooper Merrill walked and
Mason smashed a double to left,
scoring Stephany.
After a pitching switch, a
wild pitch scored Merrill from
third and Adams reached base
on a walk. The inning ended
with the Lions picking up three
runs on two hits and an error.
Solid defensive plays in the
top of the sixth by Stephany and
Mason shut down any hopes of
a late Treynor rally and the Lions
were on their way to the State
semi-finals. That game will be
played at 7:30 p.m. Thursday,
July 30, at Principal Park in Des
Moines.
“It’s hard to describe how
amazing our fans were last night
at such a late hour,” said Coach
Thompson, via social media af-
ter the game. “Thanks so much
many more that I know were
cheering at home. I’ve never
seen so many thrilling successful
retreats to first base on pick-offs
in my life. Would love to see
you all back Thursday at 7:30!”
At presstime it was un-
known if the Lions will face Da-
vis County, Bloomfield or Ro-
land-Story. The game between
the second and seventh seeded
teams, which was to follow the
Clear Lake vs. Treynor game,
was postponed until Tuesday
morning.
On the other side of the
Class 2A bracket, top-seed Cas-
cade, Western Dubuque de-
feated Mediapolis and Colum-
bus Catholic, Waterloo, seeded
third, topped Hinton.
The Class 2A State Cham-
pionship game is slated for 1:30
p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1.
“I didn’t think I would ever see that again.
Baseball is a crazy sport.”
Coach Seth Thompson
on Jacob Hogan’s
second grand slam
July 29, 2015 • Page 13
Hogan repeats
grand slam to
send Lions to State
Jacob Hogan said he could Another sacrifice bunt moved
It was a time for celebration as the Clear Lake baseball team looks to their fans following their 2A quarterfinal feel his heart pounding. He the runners along, but Adams
victory over Treynor Monday night. -Reporter photos by Chris Barragy kept telling himself to keep was able to throw out the batter
Clear Lake catcher Rowdy Yates is ready as this St. Edmond runner nears his territory. The Lions picked up calm. For the second time in to get one out. A line drive base
a 5-2 victory over the Gaels to send them State. -Reporter photos by Chris Barragy as many games he was in the hit to centerfield scored one
batter’s box with two outs and run, but the second runner was
his teams’ season on the line. thrown out at the plate. An Ad-
“I could hear the crowd ams strikeout ended the inning
and knew they realized we were with the Lions down, 2-1.
in the same situation as the last Adams handled the Gaels
game,” said the CLHS senior. easily in the top of the seventh,
Saturday night against recording his seventh and eighth
Forest City, Hogan smacked a strikeouts on the night in the
walk-off grand slam which sent process.
the Lions to the Class 2A Sub- With the season on the line
State game Tuesday at Algona. in the bottom of the seventh
This time it was St. Ed’s with Coach Thompson elected to
a one-run lead in the seventh use senior Matt Stephany as a
inning. And just like last time pinch hitter to lead off the in-
Hogan walked to the plate and ning. Stephany delivered with
delivered. With bases loaded, a ground ball base hit to keep
two out and a 1-0 count, Ho- the Lions’ hopes alive. Merrill
gan sent the ball flying over put the ball in play, but the lead
the left-centerfield fence just runner was out on his fielder’s
like before. His heroics sent choice. A deep fly ball retired
the Lions to the State Baseball Mason and the situation was be-
Tournament in much the same ginning to look bleak.
way Clear Lake’s 2013 team Merrill was able to move
did it— by never giving up. into scoring position as St. Ed’s
The St. Ed’s centerfielder pitcher Jason Setterdahl began
threw down his glove as he to struggle against Adams. Set-
watched Keeran’s hit clear the terdahl walked Adams, then
fence, giving the Lions a 5-2 loaded the bases when he hit
victory. Mitch Keeran on an 0-3 count.
The game was close Jacob Hogan said he could
throughout, as the Lions had hear the crowd rumbling when
two runners aboard in the sec- he stepped into the batter’s box.
ond inning, but failed to score. It was the same exact position
St. Ed’s was the first to get he had been in a few night’s be-
on the scoreboard by manu- fore— bases loaded, two outs
facturing a run in the top of and the game on the line. Ho-
the fourth. With runners gan watched the first pitch miss
on first and second a sacrifice the strike zone. Then, just as he
bunt moved them ahead to sec- had done before, he connected
ond and third. A squeeze play with the ball and sent it over the
scored the runner from third. left-centerfield fence— a walk-
Pitcher Brock Adams struck off grand slam. The Lions won,
out the next batter to leave a 5-2.
runner stranded at third. “I didn’t think I would
The Lions answered in ever see that again. Baseball
the bottom of the fifth inning is a crazy game,” said Coach
when Cooper Merrill, who sin- Thompson, still flying high after
gled in his first two at-bats, hit the game. “It’s a hard feeling to
a ground ball up the middle. describe.” The coach was sure to
He stole second and scored note it took the whole team to
when Ben Mason hit an RBI pull off the win. “Matt Stepha-
single to left. Mason advanced ny stepped in and got a key hit
to second on the unsuccessful and everybody did their job.”
throw home to try to catch Thompson believes the two
Merrill, but he was left stand- close wins will do nothing but
ing on base. help his team at the State Tour-
St. Ed’s reclaimed the lead nament.
in the top of the six after Adams “I like to think there’s no
walked the first two batters. better team prepared for tough
situations,” he said.
Senior Matt Stephany makes a catch at Principal Park on Monday night. Stephany had a great defensive Teammates Ryan Schmalen (1) and Rowdy Yates congratulate Jacob
game in left field for the Lions. -Reporter photos by Chris Barragy Hogan following his second grand slam of the season. -Reporter photos
by Chris Barragy
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