Mustangs fall in consecutive games against Unioto and Huntington in battles of state-ranked teams

In the latter stages of the regular season, the Division V No. 4 state-ranked Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs have amped up their schedule by facing the Division IV No. 11 ranked Unioto Shermans and the Division VI No. 15 state-ranked Huntington Huntsmen. 

On Wednesday (May 13) the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs traveled to face the Unioto Shermans where LCHS fell by a 6-4 score. 

LCHS trailed by a 2-0 score after the first inning, but the Mustangs rallied for three runs in the top of the third for a 3-2 lead. The scored was quickly tied with the Shermans scoring a run in the bottom of the third. 

Unioto was next to score runs in the bottom of the sixth as they tacked on three runs to regain the lead. The Mustangs scored one last run in the top of the seventh for a two-run non-conference loss. 

Both teams each had six hits, while the Mustangs had one error and UHS finished with three errors. 

Aric Slack led in the hit category for the SHAC Division I champion Mustangs, as he was 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.

Elam Faust finished 1-for-3 with one run and a walk, as he also collected a stolen base. Kristian Beachy was 1-for-4 with two RBI. Also with a hit was Harley Lewis, who was 1-for-3 with a steal. The Mustangs also had Trevor Niehaus finish 1-for-3. 

The Mustangs also had Quin Wells score a run, Tanner Roberts collected an RBI with a sacrifice fly. Max Baker drew a walk, and Luke Davis scored a run and had a steal. 

Baker pitched 5.1 innings with four strikeouts. Aiden Bene pitched 0.2 innings in relief with no runs allowed. 

For the Shermans, Jack Welch, Jace Zickafoose, David Long, Carter Elliott, Caden Speakman and Caden Steele each had a hit with Speakman's hit being a double. Scoring runs for UHS were Alius Saultz, Zickafoose (two), Elliott, Speakman and Henry Vallette. 

BOX SCORE
LCHS    003 000 1 — 4 6 1 
UHS      201 003 x — 6 6 3

The following day on Thursday (May 14) the Mustangs lost by one run against the visiting Huntington Huntsmen by a 4-3 score at LCHS in eight innings. 

LCHS led 3-0 after the second inning with two runs in the bottom of the first, followed by a run in the second. The Huntsmen tied the score at 3-3 with three runs crossing the plate in the top of the fourth, then rallied with a run in extra innings, taking a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth. 

Lynchburg-Clay totaled six hits and had three errors. Huntington finished with seven hits and two errors. 

Quin Wells and Aric Slack each finished with two hits. Wells was 2-for-4 with a run and a steal. Slack went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Harley Lewis finished the game at 1-for-4 with an RBI. Trevor Niehaus was 1-for-3 with a run, a HBP and a steal. 

The Mustangs also had Elam Faust and Max Baker each force a walk. Tanner Roberts ended the game with a run, three walks and a steal.

Roberts pitched 5.2 innings, allowing no earned runs on four hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in the no-decision. Aiden Bene pitched 2.1 innings of relief with one earned run allowed on three hits and one walk with two strikeouts. 

For the Huntsmen, Frankie Hirsch and Troy McDonald each had two hits, with Hirsch going 2-for-5 with a triple and two RBI. McDonald was 2-for-3 with two walks and three steals. Also with a hit for the Huntsmen were Calvin Hirsch, Maveryck Hardesty and Andrew McKnight. 

Andrew Oyer pitched six innings for Huntington, where he had seven strikeouts. Tucker Hopkins was the winning pitcher, where he allowed no earned runs on one hit with three strikeouts. 

Lynchburg-Clay now stands at 18-5 overall. Next for LCHS is a regular-season game on Friday, May 15 on the road against New Richmond at 5 p.m. 

BOX SCORE
HHS      000 300 01 — 4 7 2 
LCHS    210 000 00 — 3 6 3