Jacket Baseball

Jacket Baseball

Aaron Hogue, Writer

Clinton varsity baseball traveled to Harrison Tuesday, March 26 to play conference rival the Valley Springs Tigers. Clinton and Valley Springs have faced off in the District Championship the past 2 seasons. Clinton won both of these meetings. Going into this game the Yellowjackets were 3-4 on the season and 2-2 in conference. Reid Hensley took the mound in the first game in a last second replacement for senior Aaron Hogue who was battling sickness. Reid Hensley gave the Jackets what they needed for the game he threw strikes. The bats got behind him. Clinton held a 8-4 lead going into the top of the 7th inning and with two outs the Jackets added 7 runs. Clinton won this game 15-4 behind big hits from Jacob Bigelow.

In the second game of the Valley Springs double header Kragen Bradley started on the mound. Clinton’s bat where still heated up. Kragen Bradley had 3 hits a long with a good start on the mound. Zac Alexander had 2 hits and Ty Dodd, Keaton Gresham, and Jacob Bigelow all had a hit. In a total team effort the Yellowjackets won 18-3. Clinton was led in both games by Senior leaders Ryley McDonald and Aaron Hogue in two games they combined for 12 hits, 15 runs and 12 RBI.

Friday, March 29 Clinton baseball team traveled to Harrison to compete in the annual Harrison Tournament. Here they would would take on Berryville Bobcats in the first round of the tournament. Berryville had beaten a Clinton team that had limited practice time due to players in basketball. Clinton got off to a good start Ryley McDonald, Ty Dodd, and Aaron Hogue worked back to back to back walks. Then Jacob Bigelow hit a sacrifice fly that scored McDonald and Dodd scored on a throwing error and Hogue advanced to third. Then Kragen Bradley bunted in Hogue from third on a safety squeeze. Clinton lead 3-0 after the top of the first. This would be enough run support for Hogue on the mound because he was lights out. Hogue struckout the side in the bottom of the first and kept on rolling. Clinton added another run in the second with McDonald knocking in Caleb Bowman, and another run in the 6th with Hogue knocking in McDonald on a base hit to right field. Clinton would go on to win 5-0 to avenge an early season loss. The offense was lead by McDonald with 3 hits and Hogue and Keaton Gresham with 2 hits. Hogue was solid on the mound pitching a complete game strikeout 12, walking 0 and hitting 0. No Berryville runner reached second base during this game. This win improved Clinton’s record to 6-4 on the season.

The rest of the tournament was canceled due to rain and thunder storms in the area. The Yellowjackets next game will be April 2nd against the Nemo Vista Redhawks.