North Harrison honored the late Ronald Claycomb, longtime announcer, scorekeeper, and superfan before Friday night’s 15-0 win over East Harrison. Claycomb never knew a stranger, always spoke what was on his mind, and was always happiest when attending a baseball or softball game. His favorite song was “7&7” by Turnpike Troubadors, which he played all the time at home baseball games. There was a moment of silence before the game, followed by everyone shouting one of Claycomb’s favorite lines, “Play Ball!”
Like football announcers Jim Larson (Worth County) and Maurice Riley (North Nodaway), Claycomb never led the cheers; however, he did get excited one time when a South Harrison hitter hit a monster shot “clear to the moon” during one of North Harrison’s baseball tournaments. He was the father of current coach Rob Claycomb and grandfather of senior Grant Claycomb, who pitched in North Harrison’s win Friday.
The community has lost three of its finest in recent years; they lost Collin Castleberry, who hit the team’s first-ever home run and whose example laid the foundation for the team to build; they got better every single year he played. They also lost Randall Leazenby recently; he was one of the first people we met when we first started covering Eagleville in the summer of 2017; we met him at the car show that year. Like Claycomb, he never knew a stranger; he never let his wheelchair keep him from getting around town.
The game itself was pretty predictable as it featured two teams headed in opposite directions. North Harrison, with the win, got its fifth of the year; all its wins were of the run rule variety except for the Pattonsburg game. For East Harrison, they were run ruled in all their games but one. East Harrison had 11 players listed in the program, but dressed out only eight for Friday’s game, meaning there was an automatic out when the ninth batter’s spot came up.
Grant Claycomb made quick work of the Bobcats; he gave up one hit against Michelle Boswell, their best hitter, and walked one. He struck out nine. The ball was exploding into catcher Brett Emig’s glove, the batters were chasing the high heat, and the breaking balls were getting called for strikes. Meanwhile, the Shamrocks scored in every inning in pulling away for the four inning win.
East Harrison had a good pitcher in Mark Willis, a good catcher in Adam Rinehart, a shortstop who didn’t have a lot of experience, but who made two great hustle plays in the field, but little else. North Harrison was without two of their players, who were at State FFA, including a promising slugger in Cole Kampman, who crashed a home run off the scoreboard at King City earlier this year. But everybody else stepped up in the field and at the plate.
Brett Emig started off the scoring in the first with a two run shot into the tree behind right center field to make it 2-0. In the second, the Shamrocks loaded the bases, then Grant Claycomb walked to force in a run. Brett Emig then emptied the bases with a shot into the left field gap for a three run double. He circled the bases and scored as the orange shirts threw the ball around trying to get the ball back in to make it 7-0.
Cooper Cracraft started off the third by dropping a base hit just behind the shortstop; he stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Aaron Lundy shot a single just past the first baseman’s outstretched glove to score Cracraft. He showed off the promising hitting that he had shown in practice during the preseason. Lundy was out stealing, but back to back doubles from Matthew Heintz and Cruz Ury put the Shamrocks up 9-0. Cruz Ury took third on a wild pitch and Kadyn Hukill walked and stole second. Wade Briggs grounded out to second, scoring Ury; Hukill then came home as East Harrison threw the ball around to make it 11-0.
Brett Emig doubled down the left field line to start the Shamrock fourth. It was his second double of the afternoon to go with his home run. Brandon Hamilton singled between third and short to score Emig, and Cooper Cracraft’s pop fly single put runners on first and second. Aaron Lundy walked to load the bases, and Matthew Heintz’s single to left center scored two and brought up Jerry Gilpatrick. He singled to left to bring in the final run.
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