Clare baseball claims championship at Reed City tournament

 By BEN MURPHY

Cleaver Sports Writer

After a four-hour break between their first game and the championship game on Saturday, the Clare baseball team could have very well been a bit sluggish. The Pioneers were anything but though, as they took down tournament host Reed City, 18-2 in four innings.

“We played well today and had a long wait, on a hot day after playing our first game at 10:00 a.m. and playing the championship game at 4:00 p.m.,” head coach Dave Gould said. “It was nice playing in some nice weather, finally.”

Blake Sian had a huge game for the Pioneers, both pitching and on offense. He got the win by going three and one-third innings and he gave up two runs, zero earned on two hits, five strikeouts and three walks. He also had three hits, including one home run and he drove in seven runs and he scored three times.

Jayson Johnson made his varsity debut, recording the final two outs.

Brody Allen also had two hits and four RBI and adding one hit each was Dane Alexander, Andre Moreno (one RBI) and Blayn Bigelow (one RBI).

Earlier in the day Clare won a close game over Ludington, 4-3.

Parker Smith got the win, going three innings and he gave up zero runs, one hit and he struck out four and walked four. Brody Allen threw the final four innings, and he gave up three runs on four hits, one strikeout and one walk.

Walker Sian hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give Clare an early lead and they scored two more runs in the fifth, including a solo homer from Moreno. Brody Allen and Trent Francisco had one hit apiece as well.

“Allen gave up a three run home run but pitched well besides the one long ball he gave up,” Gould said. “A close game with a team we may see in districts.”

On Thursday, Clare played a pair of Jack Pine Conference games at Meridian, winning them both, 9-7 and 12-2.

Dane Alexander started the game on the mound but left with the Pioneers trailing. W. Sian got the win, going four and one-third innings in relief, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out five and walking two.

Bigelow tossed the final inning, striking out three batters to get the save.

“The guys did a great job coming back and never gave up,” Gould said.

On offense, Blake Sian had three hits, Alexander had two hits, including a two-run homer while Bigelow (one RBI) and JR Mast (two RBI) had two hits each. With one hit apiece was Moreno (two RBI), W. Sian, Parker Smith and Francisco (one RBI).

Clare kept the momentum going in game two, as they rolled to the win.

Bigelow started to get the win, allowing two runs, zero earned on four hits and five strikeouts.

“Bigelow got the start and pitched a very nice game,” Gould said. “He had great command of the zone and only threw 54 pitches in the five-inning game.  We hit the ball well again this game and ran the bases well.”

Smith led the offensive charge with two hits and five RBI, W. Sian had two hits and two RBI and with one hit apiece was Moreno (one RBI), W. Sian (two RBI), Bigelow (two RBI) and Brody Allen.

Clare hosted Standish-Sterling on Tuesday, they take on Beal City at Central Michigan University on Friday and they’ll wrap up the regular season on Tuesday, playing at Traverse City St. Francis.

© Clare County Cleaver