Perhaps some terrible cataclysmic event will take place if the Farmington and Clarkston baseball teams meet this year ? because Mother Nature has been showing the two teams a bad turn.
‘The pride factor is still there. (Farmington is) in first place and we’d like to beat them,? said Clarkston Coach Phil Price.
The first game between Farmington and Clarkston, originally scheduled for April 27, was snowed out and the double header scheduled on May 23 was rained out.
The Wolves were hoping to catch the OAA division I leading Falcons at the right time, as on May 21 Clarkston had just won the Manuel tournament.
‘Playing Oxford in the first game, we gave up a run in the first inning and I was like ‘Here we go again,?? said Price, speaking to his team’s penchant for allowing big innings. ‘But our kids responded and put up eight runs in the bottom of the inning.?
After reeling off eight runs in the bottom of the first, Clarkston coasted to a 12-2 victory against Oxford in the first game of the Manuel tournament. Steve McIsaas got the win on the hill, pitching four innings while striking out five and allowing zero earned runs.
While Clarkston only had seven hits in the contest, they managed to consistently stuff the bases by drawing 10 walks. Mike Kittle, hitting from the leadoff spot, went 1/1 with three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. Eric Ogg and J.J. Lange also stood out against Oxford as each went 1/2 with a double.
In the tournament final?, Brandon proved no match for the Wolves as Clarkston prevailed 13-1. Josh Hall struck out seven and allowed zero earned runs over five innings pitched for the win. Eric Bryan was the man at the dish going 2/3 with two doubles and three RBI’s. Steve McIsaac also carried a big stick going 3/3.
Clarkston’s dominant play over the weekend was refreshing as the Wolves came in licking their wounds from a three game losing streak. The Wolves 8-0 loss to Lake Orion on May 16 was a harbinger to a fruitless doubleheader against West Bloomfield on May 18.
‘We didn’t have a lot of fight in us (against West Bloomfield),? said Price.
In the first game, the lone bright spot for Clarkston came on Ogg’s two-run homer late in the game. In the second game, the Lakers swamped the Wolves defense with runs, winning 14-2 in six innings.
‘Too many of our games, we are either getting mercied or mercying someone,? said Price.
Clarkston has a smattering of games before district play opens. The Wolves doubleheader against Waterford Kettering on May 24 finished too late for this edition of The Clarkston News.
To close the season Clarkston will make up their oft-rescheduled meetings with Farmington. The doubleheader has been rescheduled for May 25 at CHS.
Clarkston is hosting districts and play will open on May 31 against Pontiac Central. The winner of the Clarkston-Central game will move on to face Waterford Kettering on June 4 at 10 a.m.