Bobcat Nine Fall To Moniteau This Past Weekend (04/25/2018)
(By CSZ Sports Writer Kenn Staub) Fresh off a 12-2 victory over Cranberry the evening before, the Clarion Bobcats were back at County Park early the next day (Saturday, April 21) to take on the Moniteau Warriors. Unfortunately for the Bobcats Saturday was not to be their day, as they fell to the Warriors 12-0 in five innings.
Things started promisingly enough for the Bobcats, as Fitzingo, leading off for the Warriors, popped out on the very first pitch of the game. Jacob Jewart followed, however, with a fly to left, scrambling into second as a Clarion outfielder worked to extract the ball from where it had embedded itself in the soft playing surface. After a ground out by third batter, the next four consecutive Warriors walked, forcing in two runs before the final out of the inning could be recorded.
Spencer Miller dives back into first. He had one of the Bobcats’ two hits.
Spotted a 2-0 lead Fitzingo went to work in the bottom of the first, striking out two of the four Clarion batters he faced. This isn’t to imply that the frame was uneventful, as two Bobcats advanced into scoring position. Clarion’s lead-off hitter, Spencer Miller, singled to center and then stole second. With one out, Miller broke for third but was caught in a rundown when the third hitter, Sterling Conner, grounded to the pitcher. Conner was left stranded on second, having reached the bag while Miller was trying to make his way to third, when the next batter struck out looking.
Chance Nagy led off the second for Moniteau, reaching base when he was hit by a pitch. Fitzingo followed with a walk, after which Jewart collected his second hit of the game, a single to right that scored Nagy. Nick Hougg, running for Fitzingo, and Jewart both scored when the next Moniteau batter, Nick Sosigian, doubled to center, giving the Warriors a 5-0 lead. Sosigian, who advanced to third on a wild pitch, scored Moniteau’s fourth and final run of the inning, making the score 6-0, when Jared Lominski ground out to second.
Cutter Boggess connected for a single.
Fitzingo struck out the first two Clarion batters he faced in the bottom of the second before hitting Lake Staub. Though he would give up a single to the next batter, Cutter Boggess, any scoring threat was nullified as Skylar Pastor, running for Staub, was thrown out trying to reach third on the hit to left field.
The Warrior offense would add another four runs in the top of third. Fitzingo reached first for the second consecutive inning, this time on a one out error at short. Hougg, again inserted to run for Fitzingo, would move to second when Jewart legged his way to first after a slap to the right side. Both would move up one on a passed ball, with Hougg scoring when Nick Sosigian sacrificed to deep centerfield. A Wyatt Geibel single to left would then drive in Jewart, making the score 8-0 in Moniteau’s favor. Lominski would follow with a double, scoring Geibel’s courtesy runner, Luke Pry. Nate Sosigian would plate Lominski on a single to left, giving the Warriors a 10-0 edge.
Fitzingo opened the bottom of the third with another strike out, before hitting Miller. Miller would be left standing at first when the next two batters were induced into flying out.
Cal German made his first mound appearance of 2018, working a third of an inning and striking out one.
Nagy led off the fourth by taking a four pitch walk, subsequently moving to second on a Fitzingo single to center. Jewart would load the bases when he too was walked, reaching first for the fourth time in the contest. Nagy scored on another Nick Sosigian sacrifice fly, with Hogue, in to run for Fitzingo, moving to third. Hogue would score when he was awarded home due to a Clarion balk to the next Moniteau batter, the Warriors’ final run of the inning and game.
Fitzingo took the mound in the bottom of the fourth and, perhaps inspired by his 12-0 lead, struck out the Clarion side.
Neither team would push a runner across the plate in the fifth, prompting the umpires to award the Warriors the abbreviated, mercy rule victory.
Jewart and Nathan Sosigian both enjoyed multi-hit games for the Warriors. Jewart had a double and single, while Sogigian poked two singles. Neal, Lominski, and Nick Sosigian had a double apiece, with Fitzingo and Geibel hitting singles. Nick Sosigian was credited with a game high four RBI, Lominski and Nathan Sosigian had two each, and Jewart, Geibel, and Neal chipped in with one. Jewart had Moniteau’s only steal of the game. Fitzingo, who collected his second win of the season, allowed only two hits and struck out nine in the shut out.
Both Miller and Boggess had singles, Clarion’s only hits of the game. Miller stole a base. Skylar Rhoades started for Clarion, giving up one hit and being charged with four earned runs. He took the loss for the Bobcats. Miller followed Rhoades, pitching one and two-thirds inning, striking out two and surrendering five hits and two earned runs. Cal German pitched a third on an inning in relief of Miller, allowing five hits and two earned runs. He struck out one. Conner pitched the game’s final two innings, only surrendering a single hit in his scoreless stint and striking out one.
(photographs by Christie Datko)