With the bases loaded and no outs, Jack Mons inherited a predicament when he took over the mound in the sixth inning against visiting USC on Wednesday.
But the to-be freshman struck out the Rebels one, two, three to get the U14 Clippers out of the jam and maintain their 7-6 advantage.
The one-run lead didn’t last long though. After the Clippers came up empty in the bottom of the sixth, the Rebels produced three doubles for two runs and held on for an 8-7 triumph.
Their win avenges a loss they suffered to the Clippers eight days prior.
A topsy-turvy affair, the lead exchanged hands five times.
The Clippers got off to a good start. Leading off the bottom of the first, Nolan Schlaak walked. Mons smashed an RBI double and scored himself after a couple of passed balls for a 2-0 Clipper lead.
On a double with an error tacked on, a hit batter and a pair of wild pitches, the Rebels stalemated the game 2-2 in the third. The Clippers responded with a run right away when Jake Mueller and Mons walked, and Mueller scored on a Pierce Lyons two bagger.
On a single, a walk and an RBI double, the Rebels put up a run in the fourth to lead 4-3. They added two more runs in the fifth on a walk, a fielder’s choice where everyone was safe, a double steal, a sacrifice fly and a passed ball.
But the Clippers responded in the bottom of the fifth with three runs to retake the lead. Leading off, Tyler Smith got hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and then scored after a pair of passed balls. Mueller walked, Tony Hollerich singled, and Mons singled to score Muller and Lyons doubled to bring home Mons and Hollerich.
Concentrated among three players, the Clippers totaled five hits, two fewer than USC. Lyons was fire with a pair of doubles for three RBIs. Mons hit a single and a double and brought in two runs. Hollerich added a single.
The Clippers walked 10 times and struck out 11 times and got beaned twice. USC’s pitching duel stranded eight Clippers on base.
The Clippers put a trio of pitchers on the hill. Hollerich tossed the first four innings. He gave up three hits and two earned runs while walking four, striking out nine, beaning two and leaving seven on base. Gauge Bock threw in the fifth and sixth. He allowed one hit and one earned run while walking three, striking out one and hitting one batter. In his two innings, Mons allowed two earned runs, on three hits while striking out four and walking none.
The Clippers suffered five errors. USC was errorless.
With the loss, the Clippers fell to 3-3. They opened their season with an 8-7 loss in Morristown but came back to beat visiting Maple River 4-0. The fell to host St. Patrick 4-8 but beat USC 12-9 before decisively avenging the loss to St. Patrick at home with a 14-1 victory.
Coached by Alec Rogers, the Clippers return to action on Wednesday when they host JWP at 6:15 p.m.
Above: Shortstop Pierce Lyons dials in on a grounder.
