Esterline pitching gem lifts Farwell baseball to split with Clare

By BEN MURPHY

Cleaver Sports Writer

Farwell pitcher Mason Esterline was flat-out brilliant in the second game of his team’s Jack Pine Conference doubleheader at home against Clare on Tuesday, April 21. Esterline tossed a complete game, seven inning shutout, giving up just one hit while striking out 19 batters and walking none. The 19 strikeouts ties a program record, set back in 1968.

The first inning alone was special, as he threw nine pitches and struck out all three batters he faced, and Farwell was able to win the game, 7-0.

“When he struck out the first three batters on nine pitches, I knew he was locked in,” head coach Alan Esterline said. “Mason works hard year-round at baseball. His hard work and determination is finally paying off.”

Esterline also helped his own cause on offense, getting three hits and scoring three times. Asher Yarhouse and Walker Brown both had one hit and one RBI and Blake Sholes had one hit and came in to score a run.

Game one went in favor of Clare, 14-3.

Hunter Edlin was one of three pitchers thrown in the game for the Eagles, and he went two innings, giving up one run on one hit, four strikeouts and two walks.

Sholes had two hits and scored a run to lead the offense, Esterline had one hit, one RBI and one run and adding one hit each was Yarhouse and Conner Cousineau.

Farwell also split with visiting Pinconning in more JPC play on Thursday, dropping game one 9-7, but winning game two 13-12.

Dylan Mitchell took the loss in game one, striking out one batter in three innings. Zane Hanna tossed four frames and struck out two batters.

On offense, Esterline had one triple, two singles and scored a run, Yarhouse had two hits and two RBI, Hanna had two hits and scored a run, Mitchell and Cousineau both singled and drove in two runs and Sholes also had a base hit.

Edlin, Yarhouse and Cousineau shared pitching duties in game three, combining to strike out eight batters.

On offense, Edlin had one double, one single and one RBI, Mitchell had two hits and three RBI, Esterline singled and drove in two runs and with one hit each was Yarhouse, Brown (one RBI), Cousineau (one RBI) and Sholes (one RBI).

Farwell was at Beaverton on Tuesday, they host Ogemaw Heights today (Thursday) and they host Harrison on Tuesday.