Spanish Springs coach Ben Hofmann said Alan Lummel would bounce back after he was charged with a loss last week to Wooster.
It’s fair to say Hofmann was right.
Lummel threw complete game shutout on Thursday, leading the Cougars to a 6-0 win at Bishop Manogue. He scattered five hits while fanning five and walking just two batters.
With the win, the Cougars (6-1, 2-0) not only continued their scorching start to the season, they also secured the regular-season sweep of the Miners after winning 5-1 at Spanish Springs on Tuesday. Bishop Manogue (0-4, 0-2) remained winless.
The Cougars were actually outhit 5-3 in the win, benefiting from a pair of Miner errors, six free passes and six passed balls/wild pitches.
The guests scored twice in the top of the second when Carson McCusker scored on a wild pitch and Joey Arterburn (who reached via a single) later crossed the plate on the Miners’ first error of the afternoon.
Spanish Springs scored three more runs the next inning on just one hit – an RBI single from Chase Lee.
Lee came around to score on another error before Mason Homsley, pinch running for Josh Prizina, scored on a wild pitch. Prizina reached on a walk.
The score remained 5-0 until the Cougs scratched out the final run of the afternoon in the top of the seventh. Colton Forman was walked, advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches, then scored on a McCusker sac fly to right.
Spanish Springs will look to continue its fast start to the season on Saturday when it will host Hug for a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
Raiders remain unbeaten
By Mike Bradley, reporting intern
Reed got past North Valleys, 4-2, at home on Thursday to remain perfect on the season.
The Raiders improved to 7-0, 2-0 in the DI North by completing the regular-season sweep of the Panthers (0-2, 0-2).
Austin Johnson took the mound to start the game for the Raiders, and Sean Flanary started for the Panthers. Flanary allowed just one earned run while Johnson flirted with a shutout, not allowing North Valleys score until the sixth inning.
“[Johnson] was excellent,” Reed coach John Phenix said. “He was the key to winning to the game.”
Reed struck first in the second inning. Senior Parker Houston reached on a single with one out and senior Benny Peck reached base on walk with two away to keep the inning alive. Sophomore Levi Sanchez then ripped an RBI single into right field to give Reed the 1-0 lead. Flanary kept his composure to get the next batter out and end the inning.
Both pitchers dominated the mound through the third and fourth innings, but Reed broke the game open with a three-run fifth inning.
Sanchez kicked off the inning with line-drive double. Junior John Pinto advanced Sanchez to third. Senior Matt Denn continued the rally with a hit to right field. Pinto and Sanchez both scored on the play with help from errors in right field and at second base. Junior Lincoln Turner got on base the next at bat with a single, putting Denn on third. Senior Austin Beard hit a sac fly to left field to bring the lead to 4-0. The Panthers put away the next two batters to end the inning but the damage had been done.
North Valleys came back at the top of the sixth with a David Watson single. AJ Dennis then found his way on base by error. The Panthers first run of the game came from an RBI single by Logan Rumbaugh with two outs.
Reed was kept scoreless in the sixth inning. North Valleys’ last chance was at the top of seventh. The Panthers showed hope when Colton reached on error with one out. Flanary also reached based on error on the next at bat, putting Love on third. Love was brought home the next at-bat with a Tyler Burkey sac fly. Reed’s Johnson forced a ground ball from Watson, leaving Flanary stranded to end the game.
“North Valleys has a good little team this year,” Phenix said, “We were only up 1-0 for a long time. It was nothing we did or didn’t do, [Flanary] just pitched well.”
Reed will play a home doubleheader with Carson (6-1, 2-0) on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m..
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