Kellan Craig hit two grand slam home runs and the North Harrison Shamrocks beat South Harrison 13-3 in six innings Saturday to get their third win of the year. They got off to a good start with an impressive 12-2 win over North Nodaway and a tough game against South Harrison before falling 3-0 in Bethany. But it didn't help that they had a 16-day layoff before their next game, and they fell hard against King City 13-2. They bounced back against Stanberry with a 16-6 win and played powerhouse Putnam County tough, hitting the ball well before falling 21-11. But there was no rest for the weary, as they had to play St. Joseph Christian next and fell 12-2. They went the distance against Princeton before falling 7-2.
Pitted against perennial powerhouse Green City in the first game of the North Harrison Round Robin Saturday, the Shamrocks were faced with a Gopher squad that had gotten off to a 3-5 start but had lately caught fire and won their last five. North Harrison sent out Axle Allen, making his first start ever, though he had pitched in relief before. Axle Allen was in control the first inning and showed flashes of potential as he only needed six pitches to get out of the first inning against the powerful Gopher lineup as Gage Fortner ate up all three balls hit at him at shortstop. But Allen came back down to earth in the second inning as an error to lead off the second inning opened up the floodgates for the Gophers, who took advantage with eight hits in the inning. The big blows were home runs by Ty Hall and Tristin Harrison. By the time the dust had settled, the Gophers were in control at 10-0 and Jaden O'Haver was working on a no-hitter, fueled by a blinding fastball.
Kyler Kimbrough came in to pitch the third inning, but the avalanche continued, fueled by Thaydon Forest, who hit the Gophers' third home run. The game was called in the third inning with Green City winning 15-0.
Ryker Fortner snagged Jett Cornett's screamer to start the South Harrison game, but it looked like more of the same after Brody Templeton drove in Kason King to put South Harrison up 1-0 after one. But there was a glimmer of hope for the Shamrocks, as South Harrison had used their best pitchers against Green City in a futile effort to stem the tide; they had led the Gophers the whole way until Green City tied it in the sixth and the floodgates opened in the seventh and the Gophers erupted for five runs in an 8-3 win to claim the tournament.
Sure enough, North Harrison bounced right back as Tate Richardson was plunked in the elbow and Ryker Fortner reached on a dropped third strike. Gage Fortner walked to load the bases and Andrew Craig hit a grounder to the shortstop, who went home to attempt a force play, but Richardson was safe. Kellan Craig singled in Ryker Fortner to put the Shamrocks up 2-1 after one.
Feeling no ill effects from being plunked in the elbow, Tate Richardson settled in and set down South Harrison in order in the second. The bottom of the order getting on was huge for the Shamrocks as Kayson Sims singled to start off the second. Axle Allen worked a walk. Tate Richardson forced Allen at second. Ryker Fortner hit a smash; Thales Marshall made a great stop at second base, but his only play was to first as Sims scored to make it 3-1.
After Richardson retired ten out of his last 11 batters, stretching into the fourth, Kyler Kimbrough took advantage of a wild pitch on a third strike and reached safely. He stole second. Kayson Sims nearly drilled Kimbrough, who had to hold up to avoid being hit by the batted ball and being called out as Sims got his second hit. Axle Allen walked and then Tate Richardson forced him at second as Kimbrough crossed the plate to make it 4-1. Ryker Fortner hit a seeing eye single just past short to score one to make it 5-1 and Gage Fortner walked. Andrew Craig grounded into a force at home for the second out, but then Kellan Craig hit his first grand slam over the left field wall to make it 9-1.
South Harrison then brought in Hayden Cox, who had already pitched in the first inning as well as in relief in the last game, and he stopped the bleeding for a time, striking out the next four batters. Meanwhile, Gage Fortner came on in relief as the Shamrocks were trying to save Richardson for upcoming games. Fortner settled in after a leadoff walk in the fifth, but a throwing error in the sixth let in two South Harrison runs in the sixth to make it 9-3. But Cox grounded into a 1-6-3 double play as the Shamrocks got out of the inning with their lead intact.
With one out, Ryker Fortner walked and that finished Cox for the second time. Gage Fortner greeted the next pitcher with a single and Andrew Craig walked to load up the bases again for Kellan Craig. He swung for the fences and missed the first pitch, but later caught hold of one and drove it over the left field fence for his second grand slam to end the game.
No comments:
Post a Comment