Striking out 10 batters is an impressive pitching feat in a seven-inning high school baseball game.
Max Clark accomplished it in four.
The Franklin sophomore was on his game in a big way in the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader at Whiteland, allowing one hit in the Grizzly Cubs’ 10-0 five-inning victory.
“I was on today,” Clark said. “Everything was working for me from the get-go. When I get ahead of hitters, usually that’s when I’m my best, so I really focused on getting ahead. It was awesome. I had a great defense behind me. A few balls in play, but they made great plays.”
Clark also benefited from an offense that crossed home plate in all but one inning. Franklin scored three runs in the top of the fourth frame and used sophomore first baseman Jackson Henry’s two-run home run over the center-field fence in the fifth to make it an 8-0 contest.
The second game proved much more competitive, with the Grizzly Cubs winning 7-5 to improve to 9-3 overall and 5-1 in the Mid-State Conference.
Whiteland dropped to 4-6 and 2-4.
It’s an impressive start to the season for the Grizzly Cubs, who, according to Clark, are merely making up for lost time.
“There is nothing better than the chemistry on this team,” Clark said. “We all grew up playing together since we were probably 5 or 6, and ever since then we had dreams of playing together on the high school team. With last year being canceled we finally got to make it come true this year.”
In the second outing, Franklin — the designated home squad as the teams were making up an earlier game that had been postponed — put two runs on the board in each of the first three innings.
Junior leadoff hitter Jace Fowler got things started for the Grizzly Cubs with a triple. He came home on a throwing error, with starting pitcher Logen Devenport and second baseman Nolan Netter producing singles in the opening frame.
Whiteland eventually countered with a three-run third, using singles by shortstop Ethan Shipp, catcher and leadoff hitter Jonathan Crowley and pitcher Quinn Warweg. The Warriors remained within striking distance entering the top of the seventh, but Fowler came on in relief and struck out two and forced a flyout to end it.
“We’ve kind of gotten down early a few times (this season) and found a way to scrap back and make it a ball game,” Whiteland coach Scott Sherry said.
Crowley, freshman third baseman/pitcher Drew Helton and Shipp all finished the second game with two hits each for the Warriors. Fowler tacked on a single later on for the Grizzly Cubs, while Netter had a pair of singles and Henry a single and double.
“We’ve been sitting idle for what feels like two weeks with the weather and all that, so it was good get back out here and get off to a good start,” Grizzly Cubs coach Ryan Feyerabend said. “We’ve got a lot of good, athletic kids who like to work hard and are pretty talented.”
