With several players at the Wisconsin Dells basketball tournament, Morristown 18, Cleveland 6 on Monday was an opportunity for younger players to get game time.
The Clippers were coming off a narrow 15-14 win in Mapleton the Wednesday before.
Taking advantage of a pair of singles and four walks, Motown put up five runs in the second. The Warriors added five more in the second on four singles, a double, a hit batter and a walk.
The Clippers managed three runs in the third. Jonathan Cink led off with a single for the Clippers’ first hit of the game. Evan Hoffmann walked, and, with two outs, Urijah Hoheisel singled for an RBI. Hoffmann stole home, and Jake Mueller doubled to bring Hoheisel home, but the Clippers still trailed 10-3.
On two hit batters, a pair of walks and three singles, the Warriors padded their lead with four runs in the fifth. On four walks and three singles, they added four more runs in the sixth.
Hoheisel led off the sixth with a single. After Austin Tarkey cashed in on a free pass, Hoheisel stole third and home. Nolan Schlaak singled to score Tarkey from third. Gauge Bock walked, while Schaak stole third and home. With one out, Max Freier was at bat with an 0-1 count when lightning forced a quick ending.
The Clippers struck out seven times, walked three times and totaled five hits. Hoheisel had two singles and an RBI. Mueller had a double and an RBI. Schlaak had a single and an RBI. Cink had a single.
Bock tossed the first two innings. He struck out three, walked five, beaned one and allowed seven hits. Hoheisel threw the next three frames. He struck out one, walked seven, beaned two and gave up nine hits.
Cleveland 15, Maple River 14
The Clippers posted two runs in the first. The Eagles responded with three runs to take an early lead, but the Clippers posted five runs in the second and never trailed after.
Hoheisel led off the first with a single, purloined second and third and scored on a Tony Hollerich single. After swiping third, Hollerich took advantage of wild pitch to put the Clippers in front 2-0.
Struggling to find the strike zone, Hollerich gave up five walks and hit two batters in the bottom of the first, and the Eagles led 3-2 before Mueller took over and struck out the first batter he faced to end the inning.
But the offense had Hollerich’s back. Tarkey led off with a single. Brayden Seeman and Tyler Smith each walked, and Tarkey scored on a wild pitch. Seeman stole home, and Carson Jindra singled. Smith scored on a passed ball, Jindra scored on a Brennon Holicky ground out, and after Hoheisel slammed a double, Muller swung for an RBI single.
On four walks and two singles, the Eagles pulled within a run in the second, 7-6, but the Clippers responded with three runs in the third when Carson Lyons led off with a triple and scored on a passed ball, Bock walked, Tarkey hit into a fielder’s choice and stole second, Smith singled, and Tarkey scored on an error on the play. After Jindra walked, Smith crossed the plate on a wild pitch for a 10-6 Clipper advantage.
Holicky led off the fourth with a single, Hoheisl and Hollerich walked to juice the bases, and all three runners came home after on a Schlaak double for a 13-6 Clipper lead.
The Eagles didn’t roll over though and pulled within a run at the end of four after two walks, three singles and a double.
Tarkey led off the fifth with a triple and scored on a Jeremy Miller single. Jindra walked, and Miller scored on an August Keltgen groundout for a 15-12 Cleveland lead.
The Clippers would need both of those runs as Maple River came up with a double and two singles for two runs in the fifth before Jindra, who took over from Mueller to start the fourth, struck out the last batter, and the game timed out.
The Clippers out hit the Eagles 14-10, struck out five times and walked eight times.
Tarkey was three for three at the plate with two singles and a triple. Hollerich had two singles and one RBI. Hoheisel hit a single and a double. Mueller had one single and one RBI. Lyons had a triple. Miller had a single and one RBI. Schlaak hit a double for three RBIs. Holicky had a single and an RBI. Jindra had a single.
Hollerich lasted two thirds of an inning. He permitted five walks and hit two batters while striking out one. Mueller threw for two and a third innings. He allowed two hits while walking four and striking out one. He allowed eight hits while walking four and striking out four.
The Clippers committed three errors, one more than Maple River.
The 5-4-1 U14 boys close out their regular season today (Wednesday) when they travel to Blue Earth.
Above: Shortstop Max Freier sets up to field a grounder during the game against Morristown.
