Joel Smith Complete Game Gives Shockers Ninth Straight Win

By Dean Barker
The New Market Shockers used a complete game performance from Joel Smith to take down the defending RCBL champion Broadway Bruins 3-1 at Broadway High School on Sunday, July 18. The win was the ninth in a row for New Market, who clinched the season series 2-1 with the victory yesterday.

With the win, the Shockers improved to 14-4 and are three games in front in first place. The Bruins fell to 8-9 and sixth place. The Bruins, after a promising 5-1 start to the season, have lost eight of their last eleven games.

Joel Smith got the win for New Market to improve to 3-0, getting six strikeouts in nine innings with just four hits on one unearned run. Bryce Turner gave up two runs on four hits in two innings to fall to 0-1. Jacob Bell struck out seven and allowed one run in seven innings to get the no-decision.

In the bottom of the first inning, Justin Lohr would hit a grounder to second base, but the throw would pull Calvin Pastel off first base to put Lohr on. Later on, a single from Trevor Thomas would bring him home to make it 1-0 Broadway.

Goode was determined to make up for his mistake, and with a single in the top of the fourth, he brought in Frankie Ritter to make the score tied at one.

The bats for both teams went mostly silent until the top of the eighth. With two on and two outs, Ty Bennet would rip a two run RBI triple to right field to give the Shockers a 3-1 lead. The Bruins would put Turner and Lohr on in the bottom half, but they were not able to come home, and the Bruins would not put any more runners on base in the final inning.

The Shockers had one error that led to a run, and left eight runners on base. The Bruins had no errors and left only five runners on base.

Bennet went 1-4 with two RBIs. Goode was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Ritter went 2-5 with two runs scored. Henry Delavergne, Luke Estep, Matt House, and Ethan Laird all had one hit to give New Market a total of nine.

Thomas was 1-4 with an RBI, Lohr was 1-4 with a run scored, Chris Taylor was 1-4 and Turner was 1-2 to total four Bruin hits.

Smith says that by sticking to his normal game plan, he was able to take down Broadway.

“Every time I pitch, my goal is just to go in there, pump the zone, just try to get ahead early, and it’s working right now,” Smith said.

The Bruins will make up a rainout from Saturday against the Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks at home tonight, July 19, at 7:30 pm. The Shockers will return tomorrow, July 20, at the Clover Dome against the second place Clover Hill Bucks at 7:30 pm.