Clarinda At Carroll Merchants
Carroll 9
Clarinda 4
The Merchants take a 1/2 game lead on Chillicothe for 3rd place and a playoff berth with a commanding win over 2nd place Clarinda on Saturday. A 2-run blast, two batters into the game set the tempo and Carroll had an answer for every charge Clarinda made. The Merchants received production through the entire lineup and got a great start on the hill from Ryan Ladner.
Ryan Ladner set Clarinda down in order to start the game and Michael Alt walked to open the bottom 1st inning. Joshua Koskie has been a great late season addition for the Merchants and he came through again. Koskie hit a shot over the right-center field fence for a 2-run home run and Carroll was off and running. The Merchants collected 3-runs in the 1st inning on 3 hits, leaving a pair of runners on base. Chris Hege added a sac-fly to score Bryce Yosko. Clarinda looked like they would respond in the 2nd inning, loading the bases with 2-outs but Ladner induced a fly out to Lane Spieker in left field, ending teh threat. Carroll extended their lead in the 4th, with Lane Spieker walking and moving to 2nd base on a wild pitch. Michael Alt hit a ball to the 2nd base, who made and error and Spieker scored from 2nd base, putting the Merchants up 4-0. Clarinda responded in the 5th. They put together their best inning against Lander, collecting 3 hits, helping them score a pair of runs. The Merchants lead was cut to 4-2 and they needed some type of answer. Noah Dutler walked to start the inning, Cullen McBride singled, moving Dutler to 3rd. Blake Tigges singled, scoring Dutler, advancing McBride to 2nd base. Jordan Brandenburg blew the game open with a double, scoring McBride and moving Tigges to 3rd. Lane Spieker drove in Tigges with a sac fly and Michael Alt singled to score Brandenburg. The lead stayed 8-2 until the 8th. The A’s used a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases, scoring a pair of runs on walks. The Merchants added an insurance run in the bottom 8th. Kyle Berg doubled to begin the inning and scored on a sac fly to centerfield by Bryce Yosko. Austin Noel, who had pitched the 8th for the Merchants, came back out for the 9th and sat the A’s down in order to end the game.
Joshua Koskie led the Merchants with 3 hits, including a 2-run home run. He finished with 2 RBI and a run scored. Blake Tigges added a pair of hits with an RBI and scoring a run. Michael Alt drove in a pair of runs and scored once. Kyle Berg doubled and scored and Jordan Brandenburg doubled, finishing with a RBI and scoring a run. Ryan Ladner earned the win, going 7 inning, allowing 6 hits and 2 earned runs with 3 strikeouts.
The win improves Carroll to 19-19 and gives them a half game lead on Chillicothe for 3rd place in the conference. The Merchants are off on Sunday and head to Joplin on Monday and Tuesday.
Carroll Stats
Michael Alt 1-3, 2 RBI, RS, 1 BB, 2 SB
Kyle Berg 1-1, 2B, RS
Joshua Koskie 3-4, 2-Run HR, 2 RBI, RS, SB
Bryce Yosko 1 RBI, RS, BB
Ethan Cole 1-2
Noah Dutler 1 RS, BB
Cullen McBride 1-3, RS, BB
Blake Tigges 2-4, RBI, RS, BB
Chris Hege 1 RBI
Jordan Brandenberg 1-4, 2B, RBI, RS
Lane Spieker 1 RBI, RS, BB
Ryan Ladner WP, 7 IP, 6 Hits, 2 RA, 2 ER, 3 K’s, BB
Austin Noel 2 IP, 2 RA, 2 ER, K, 4 BB, HBP
Box Score
Teams 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Final
Clarinda 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 4
Carroll 3 0 0 1 4 0 0 1 x 9
