The Claremont U14 baseball team earned a trip to the Bravo Division State Tournament this weekend in Clear Lake by sweeping a best-of-three regional series at Chamberlain last week Tuesday.
The Honkers stopped Chamberlain 10-7 in the opener after a two and a half hour rain delay and came back with a 9-6 win in the nightcap. The state tourney will be Friday through Sunday with Coach Joe Gustafson’s crew taking on Dell Rapids at 2 p.m. and Tri-Valley at 5 p.m. in pool play on Friday to determine seeding for bracket play on Saturday and Sunday.
Claremont was tied with Chamberlain 7-7 and batting in the bottom of the sixth with a runner on second and one out when the rain hit. When the game finally resumed the Honkers rallied for three runs to lead 10-7 and blanked the hosts in the seventh frame for the win.
Chamberlain led by four runs on two different occasions in the contest, holding a 4-0 advantage in the third before Claremont rallied with three runs. Chamberlain came right back with three of its own in the fourth before the Honkers tied the game with a four-run fourth inning rally.
Claremont held an 8-5 hit advantage, led by Korbin McKane who went three for four with a double, two singles, and an RBI. Nick Cutler added a double, single, and RBI, Wes Morehouse doubled and knocked in two runs, and Case Reints, and Tony Cutler singled. Nick Cutler earned the pitching win with 2.1 innings of relief. Morehouse started on the mound and fanned 10 batters in 3.2 innings
In game two Claremont broke a 3-3 with four runs in the fourth inning. Chamberlain cut that lead to 7-6 with three in the bottom of the fourth but didn’t score again.
Morehouse and Nick Cutler both had a single and two RBI’s for the Honkers. Carter Glines, Charlie Schuller, Rykjer Bruns, and Tony Cutler added base hits. Nick Cutler and Reints shared the mound duties and combined for 13 strikeouts with Reints fanning nine in 3.2 innings.
Chamberlain 022 300 0 – 7 5 5
Claremont 003 403 x – 10 8 4
Frederick Vanderley, Caleb Reimer (6) and Skyler Langeubau; Wes Morehouse, Case Reints (4), Nick Cutler (5) and Nick Cutler, Reints (5)
Claremont 102 410 1 – 9 6 3
Chamberlain 120 300 0 – 6 5 5
Nick Cutler, Case Reints (4) and Reints, Cutler (4); Brayden Kriel, Briley Grennan (5) and Caleb Reimer
