Shockers Take Pitcher's Duel Over Bucks

By Dean Barker
The New Market Shockers utilized a late offensive spurt to push past the Clover Hill Bucks 3-2 on Friday, July 9 at Rebel Field. With the win, the Shockers take their fifth in a row to finish the first half at 10-4 in first place, while Clover Hill closes out at 7-6 in fifth place.

Joel Smith pitched a complete game to pick up the win for New Market to improve to 2-0. Smith gave up two runs on just five hits, and struck out two. Sam Imeson took the loss for the Bucks, giving up two runs on six hits in two innings to fall to 0-2. Jacob Grabeel gave up just one run on four hits with four strikeouts in six innings to get the no-decision.

The Bucks got on the board first in the top of the second inning with an RBI double to left field, bringing in Ross French.

The Shockers left nine runners on base, compared to three from the Bucks. Each team had one error, but neither error accounted for any runs.

After two quick outs in the bottom of the fifth, Matt House would rip a single to left, and Ty Bennett would walk. Both runners would steal second, and Henry Delavergne would draw a 3-0 count, but he would pop out to the pitcher to end the inning.

With one out in the top of the sixth, Kevin Navedo hit a single to center field for the Bucks. However, Drew Easter would ground into a 5-4-3 to end the inning. Following two more quick outs in the bottom half, Pearce Bucher would double, and then come home on an RBI single to right from Josh Tayman.
 
After a four-pitch, 1-2-3 top of the seventh, Imeson would come on to relieve Grabeel. Imeson would get two quick outs, but gave up a single to Bennett and an infield single to Delavergne, and Luke Keister would drive in Bennett with an RBI single to center, putting New Marker up 2-1.

For the fourth time of the game, Smith got Clover Hill to go 1-2-3 in the eighth. Bucher led off the eighth with a double to right field, and would reach third on an error from the catcher. Tayman and Yogi Hartigan would go down, but George Auel would reach on an RBI single to third to make it 3-1. House would single, but Bennett could not bring him or Auel in.
 
With one out in the ninth, Navedo ripped a triple to center field, and would score on a sacrifice fly from Drew Easter to make it 3-2. That would be all, however, as Cody Swisher would ground out to second to end the game.

Navedo led the Bucks in defeat, going 3-4 with a run scored. Eberly went 2-3 with one RBI. Easter was 0-3 with one RBI, and Ross French was 0-3 with a run scored.

Bucher went 2-3 with two runs scored. Keister was 2-4 with an RBI. Tayman was 1-3 with an RBI. Auel was 1-4 with an RBI. Bennett went 1-3 with a run scored. House went 2-4.

Shockers head coach Nolan Potts was frustrated with the lack of offensive production, but was still proud of his team’s effort.

“(I’m) proud of the effort. Didn’t start off well, frustrating for me the first five or six innings, but we battled,” Potts said. “We knew it was a game we needed to have, and Joel gave us an excellent performance on the mound.”

The Shockers left nine runners on base, compared to three from the Bucks. Each team had one error, but neither error accounted for any runs.

Potts is hopeful that the Shockers could continue their winning ways in the second half and into the playoffs. When asked how they might do this, he said “Just playing consistent. I think the defense has been pretty good. The base running needs to get better, but if you get good pitching performances and the bats start swinging, then I think we’ll be okay.”

The Shockers will have three days off before they begin the second half at the Bridgewater Reds on Tuesday, July 13 at 7:30 pm. The Bucks will return to action on Monday, July 12 at 7:30 pm when they travel to Broadway to take on the Bruins.

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