Dailey’s 13 Ks Lifts Grottoes Past Clover Hill

By Leyton Pullin
The Grottoes Cardinals bounced back as they traveled to Clover Hill and defeated the Bucks 6-5 at Buck Bowman Park on Friday.
 
Mike Dailey would get the start for the Cardinals and would shut down the Bucks as he would pitch 6 flawless innings retiring 18 of 20 batters he faced and striking out 13 including 12 in a row and 13 out of 14. Dailey said, “I was relying on my fastball and if I saw them doing anything different I would throw my slider. For the most part just trying to keep it down the middle and if they missed kudos to me.”

Dailey would get early run support as Fort Defiance Indian Tristan Shoemaker would reach on a full count walk to lead off the game and would steal second on the next pitch. Shoemaker would score on a Dylan Nicely RBI single to give the Black and Red a 1-0 lead. In the 2nd Grottoes would add on to their lead as Jacob Dansey would work a full count walk and Jacob Merica would hit a single followed by David Wood reaching on a throwing error by Sam Imeson to load the bases for Shoemaker. The young gun would deliver with a 2 RBI single to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.
 
Sam Imeson would settle in and not allow any more runs as he would go 7 innings with 3 earned runs and 5 strikeouts. Kevin Chandler would come in for the 8th and retire the first two batters he faced but Jacob Dansey would single and Jacob Merica would reach as a ball would go through short stop Tyler Bocock’s legs. David Wood would walk to load the bases up and Shoemaker would deliver again on an 0-2 curveball and reach on an RBI single scoring Dansey. Cam Irvine would step up and deliver as well with a 2 RBI single to score Merica and Wood to give the Cardinals a 6-0 lead. The 8th would come and go as Clover Hill would still struggle at the plate but in the bottom of the 9th that would all change.

Tyler Bocock would reach to start the inning on an overthrow by Isiah Blanks and then Bryce Suters and Luke Shifflett would both walk to load the bases for John Siciliano who would hit an RBI single scoring Bocock. That would bring up the former Riverheads Gladiator Braeson Fulton as “Barbie” would hit a 2 RBI double to make the score 6-4. Fulton would score as Drew Easter would reach on another error by Blanks making the score 6-5. The rally would finally end as. Blake sipe would fly out to Blanks to end the game giving the Cardinals the 6-5 victory.

For Grottoes they bounced back and moved to 9-8 with the outstanding pitching performance by VCU’s Mike Dailey along with a 3 for 4 performance with 3 RBIs from young gun Tristan Shoemaker. When asked about his approach Shoemaker simply said, “I wasn't trying to do too much.” The Cardinals will travel to Elkton (5-11) ok Saturday night at Stonewall Memorial Park.
 
Clover Hill drops to 9-6 on the year on a night where they struggled from the plate striking out 43% of their at bats on the night (15/35). The Bucks will try and get back in the win column quickly as they host Montezuma (6-11) on Saturday night at The Clover Dome.