With his first win of the year, Lucas Walechka (above) had all the right stuff on Friday for the Clipper varsity boys.
Going all five innings for his first complete game too, he allowed zero runs, and the Clippers bested host St. Clair 10-0.
“It’s the best game I’ve had all season,” said the senior. “They liked my high fastball. They were chasing that, and my curve ball, they just could not hit. It’s a relief to have my curveball back. I’ve been struggling with that lately.”
Cleveland got on the board in the first inning. After Colin Krenik and Jackson Meyer hit back-to-back singles, Tanyon Hoheisel's deep sac fly scored what would be the winning run.
All icing, the Clippers scored five runs in the second. The offensive onslaught started with singles by Kaleb Timlin, Kyle Connor and Ethan Fuller to load the bases. Back at the top of the order, Carter Dylla flew out, but Krenik and Meyer each hit RBI singles before Hoheisel slammed a double for three runs.
“It was a little inside, and as a lefty, the inside pitches are my favorite, so it was pretty easy to wind that up” said Hoheisel, who was out ill for the Loyola game and glad to be back in uniform. “I would have felt better if it would have been over the fence, but I’ll take what I can get.”
The Cyclones, who lost 2-1 to the host Clippers in a conference matchup on May 5, committed a trio of errors in the fifth. With hits by Meyer and Hoheisel, the Clippers scored four more runs.
Walechka permitted just two hits while striking out six and walking zero.
Cleveland racked up 14 hits on the day. Meyer led the effort with three hits in four at bats. Hoheisel hit a single and a double. Dylla, Krenik and Connor each had two singles. Timlin, Fuller and Walechka each added singles.
“After that Lake Crystal game, everyone is seeing how far they can hit, how much power they have,” Walechka said. “We’ve just had a lot more confident at bats. We’re realizing we can be a good team and are having more confidence in ourselves.”
The Clippers committed three inconsequential errors, all in the infield. St. Clair had five errors.
Cleveland traveled to Montgomery to take on TCU on Monday and will host Heron Lake on Tuesday for Senior Night.
Tanyon Hoheisel signals to his teammates after bashing a three-RBI double.
Kaleb Timlin gets under a fly to left field.
Freshman second baseman Blake Lyons spent a lot of time in the dirt, but he came up with some excellent catches, as he did on this fly.
Colin Krenik gloves a grounder near first base.
Kyle Connor races to the right field fence.