Thursday, April 5, 2018

Shamrock Baseball Erases Skid; Castleberry Fans 10, Logan Craig Hits a Home Run

North Harrison, after a promising start, with two impressive wins over Trenton, was in the throes of a three game skid. Not only did they have to battle the record cold weather that has hit the area, they fell to the likes of Pattonsburg, Putnam County, and Cameron. Finally, the weather warmed up Thursday for a day, enough to allow them to get a game in with East Harrison. They were able to restore order with a 10-0 shutout win as Collin Castleberry tossed a one hitter, struck out 10, and did not allow a ball to leave the infield. Logan Craig had been going well despite North Harrison’s slump, hitting both his home runs, and he hit his third Thursday, a 300 footer over the left center field fence for some badly needed insurance runs.

East Harrison mounted a two out threat in the first as Justin Roberts got the lone Bobcat hit, a squib between first and second. Roberts beat out Castleberry to the bag and was safe, and Ethan Claycomb was intentionally walked. They pulled off a double steal, but then Ethan Billups got strike three on a ball that got away from catcher Lane Huitt. Billups would have safely reached first, but Huitt was able to catch Roberts off third too far, and he was out in a rundown to end the threat.

The bottom of the first saw Grant Claycomb walk, Brett Emig reach on Lauryn Waddle’s error at second when she bobbled a hard-hit ball, and Logan Craig walked after a 10-pitch at bat when he fouled off four pitches during a 3-2 count. Bobcat pitcher Ethan Claycomb plunked Collin Castleberry and Lane Huitt to force in two runs to make it 2-0.

Logan Huitt laid down a perfect bunt between third base and the mound that rolled into no-man’s land and he was safe to start the Shamrock second. He stole second and third and Grant Claycomb flied out to bring him home and make it 3-0. Brett Emig manufactured a run after being hit by a pitch when he stole second and third. On the steal of third, catcher Justin Roberts’ throw got away and he came home to make it 4-0.

East Harrison kept hanging around as North Harrison went down quietly in the third and got two outs to start the fourth. But then Brett Emig doubled down the left field line just fair and Logan Craig hit a home run to left center, pushed by the stiff west wind. It landed 300 feet from home plate and North Harrison was up 6-0. They got another run when Collin Castleberry doubled into the gap in right center and Timothy Heintz’s pop fly to left dropped in for a base hit to make it 7-0.

The bottom of the order was coming up for North Harrison in the fifth, but Hunter Parkhurst’s pop fly down the left field line dropped in just fair for a base hit. Logan Huitt tried to give himself up to move him over, but walked instead. They pulled off a successful double steal, and catcher Ethan Claycomb’s throw was wild and down the left field line, scoring Parkhurst as Huitt came all the way around to third. Grant Claycomb walked and stole second, and then Brett Emig and Logan Craig both grounded out, allowing them both to score to trigger the 10 run rule. The game ended just in the nick of time, as a cold front moved in right after the game was called and the weather reverted back to the cold, miserable days that have characterized this year.

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