With a 2-1 win over the Clipper varsity boys on Thursday, visiting Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther avenged an early season 10-inning loss to the Clippers and spoiled their bid to sweep the conference.
Although the Clippers outhit the Jaguars 5-4, they were mostly beating the ball into the dirt or popping it up. With seven runners stranded, they never came up with the clutch hit. Their only run scored on a passed ball.
“They (the Jaguars) are a good ball team,” said head coach Charlie Haugen. “We just didn’t play our best today. At the end of the day, we’ve got to get our bats going. You’re not going to win a lot of baseball games scoring one run…especially when you only allowed two. We have to help our pitchers out. It’s frustrating.”
After three and a half scoreless innings, the Clippers drew first blood in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Braeden Smith’s grounder was good for a single. He stole second, took third on an Alex Kortuem ground out and scored on a wild pitch.
The Jaguars quickly stalemated the game when they put up a run in the top of the fifth. It came after three-straight walks and a looping single. But still with the bases loaded, starting pitcher Miles Tomaszewski retired the next three batters, the first one swinging, the next one on an infield popup and the final out looking.
The Jags scored the winning run in the top of the seventh when the lead-off batter walked advanced to second on a passed ball, stole third and scored on a line-drive double.
The Clippers were poised to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh when Kale Kelley singled, stole second, advanced to third on a Nathan Seeman ground out. Back at the top of the order, Carson Lyons intentionally walked after taking three-straight pitches. Up next, Brennan Kortuem grounded to third for the final out.
Smith and Kelley each collected two singles. Caleb Connor had one single. The Clippers walked three times and struck out four times. The Jaguars stopped one steal attempt.
Tomaszewski tossed the first five innings. He gave up three hits and seven walks while striking out six. He stranded eight Jaguar runners. In his two innings on the mound, Lyons allowed one hit and one walk while striking out two. He left one on base.
The Clippers fielded perfectly and completed one double play. The Jaguars committed one error.
Overall, the 10-3 Clippers have not swung the bat to their potential, only batting .251 as a team. They take on host St. Clair on Thursday. The Cyclones left the Valley after last season, when they beat the visiting Clippers 7-4.
Above: Kale Kelley collected his fourth and fifth hits of the season.
