Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Shamrock Baseball Ends Season at Hands of Green City

North Harrison had plenty of chances against Green City, but saw their season come to an end at 10-10 Monday in Pattonsburg at the hands of the Gophers in the District Semifinals as they fell 6-4. They set a school record for wins, and came a long ways from two years ago, when they lost 26-1 to Green City.

The Shamrocks scored two in the first as Logan Huitt and Grant Claycomb walked on eight pitches as Ryan Peavler got into trouble for the Gophers early. But then Huitt was picked off second for the first out. Brett Emig shot a single past second, Logan Craig walked, and Collin Castleberry singled just past short to score Claycomb and Emig to make it 2-0.

With one out in the bottom of the first, Camden Williams singled off the right field wall; right fielder Tyler Lundy made a great play to keep Williams at first. He stole second and then Peavler singled Williams to third and stole second, putting runners on second and third with nobody out. But then Hunter Chase popped out to catcher Brett Emig and Michael Hall chased a breaking ball from Collin Castleberry in the dirt to end the inning.

In the second, Green City got a run back when Camden Williams walked to force in a run, making it 2-1. Castleberry fought the strike zone in that inning, but got Peavler to lunge at a pitch low and outside for the final out to leave the bases loaded.

The next two innings were scoreless as both teams had chances to score, but missed them. North Harrison missed a chance to get an insurance run in the third as Lane Huitt’s drive to deep right field ran into a wind that was blowing in and caromed off the top of the wall back into play for a long single with two outs; Tyler Lundy was called out on strikes to end the inning. Green City passed up on a chance in the fourth when Jeremy McCarty singled up the middle and successfully stole second. But then Christopher Barto struck out into a double play as McCarty unsuccessfully tried to steal third and center fielder Logan Huitt made a running catch of Nathan Chase’s Texas leaguer for the third out.

North Harrison added to their lead in the fifth when Brett Emig doubled off the center field wall. Logan Craig reached on an error when the center fielder dropped a pop fly, putting runners on second and third. Collin Castleberry got to two strikes, fouled off two pitches, and doubled over the center fielder’s head to bring in two runs to make it 4-1.

But then Green City came right back in their half as Devin Fields reached on an error when second baseman Sam Mejia bobbled a hard grounder. Fields stole second and Camden Williams singled him home. The wind shifted at that point, blowing out to left field and Ryan Peavler promptly homered to right center, tying it up at 4. It would have been worse as Hunter Chase reached on a dropped pop fly, but he tried for second and was out in a rundown.

Collin Castleberry ran out of pitches in the sixth and Tyler Lundy came on in relief, but Green City teed off on him for two doubles and two singles to make it 6-4. It would have been worse, but Peavler was out trying unsuccessfully to pull off a straight steal of home. But Green City struck out the side in the seventh to preserve the win.

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