Dominance

It is extremely difficult for a baseball team to win a game if it fails to put the ball in play. Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire found that out trying to hit against Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn pitcher Jacob Cates.

The senior dominated throughout the game, recording 19 strikeouts against a Titan lineup that had scored 11 runs two days earlier. Cates' performance led the Hawks to a 4-3 win on May 16 in Hartley.

Cates struck out three batters in each of the first two innings and the first batter in the third. After a groundout and a hit, the next Titan batter struck out, as well as all three batters Cates faced in the fourth and fifth innings, and the first two hitters in the sixth. Three of the final GTRA hitters also struck out, giving Cates his total of 19.

Cates allowed two hits and two earned runs, and hit two batters.

The Titans did manage to take a 2-0 lead to begin the game. But after a double by Jack Mastbergen and a single by Aiden Bush to begin their half of the first inning, the Hawks cut the deficit in half on a groundout by Cates.

Blake Meendering hit a two-out single in the fourth and would score on an error. After a double by Ricky Smith later in the inning, another error allowed two more runs to score, giving H-M-S a 4-2 lead.

The Titans cut the deficit to one run in the sixth but were retired in order in the seventh.

H-M-S finished the game with four hits and committed three errors.

• Shut out at OABCIG

A quiet night offensively set the tone for H-M-S during a 10-0 loss to OABCIG. The non-conference game was played May 13 at Ida Grove.

The Falcons put two runs on the scoreboard in the first inning and another in the fourth. A seven-run fifth inning by OABCIG ended the game via the 10-run rule.

Mastbergen was the losing pitcher. He allowed 13 hits and five earned runs, walked two and struck out six. Four of OABCIG's hits were for extra bases.

Falcon pitcher Miles Chesney retired all 15 Hawk batters he faced, striking out 10.

H-M-S (1-1) hosts Harris-Lake Park on May 24. The Hawks also play at South O'Brien on May 28 and Trinity Christian on May 29.