Cougars head to title game

The Carlos Cougars baseball team earned a spot in the title game of the Resorters East playoffs with wins in the opening two rounds of play.

The Cougars took care of Miltona for the third time this season in a 6-0 game last Friday after edging Clarissa 2-1 over the opening weekend.

Miltona has yet to score against the Cougars this season after being shutout for the third straight time against its East Division rivals. Nate Hoelscher was dominant for Carlos, going all nine innings, allowing just three hits and three walks, while striking out 10.

His offense gave him three runs in the bottom of the first inning to work with. The Cougars added one more in the fourth and two in the eighth to secure its spot in the East title game.

Dave Schjenken went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs. Neil Jenzen and Ben Bruggeman both had two hits and an RBI as well.

Things didn’t come as easy against fourth-seeded Clarissa on July 15. The Cougars needed to hold on late after scoring single runs in the second and fourth innings. Clarissa got its only run off of Jenzen in the top of the sixth to make it a one-run game going to the late innings.

Bruggeman came on to erase any hopes of an upset for Clarissa. He worked two hitless innings to pick up the save, allowing just one walk and striking out two. Jenzen worked his way out of trouble through seven innings to pick up the win. He allowed eight hits and two walks but struck out five, while allowing just the one run.

Schjenken and Justin Steidl each had an RBI. Aaron Noetzelman added two hits out of the leadoff spot as well.

The Cougars will try to remain perfect on the season when they play for the tournament title this Sunday. Urbank and Miltona will play for the right to face the Cougars on Friday. If Urbank wins, the Bombers will face Carlos at 4 p.m. in Carlos. A Tigers win would mean a 2 p.m. game against the Cougars in Miltona on Sunday.

GAME STATISTICS

MILTONA 000 000 000 – 0 3 2

CARLOS 300 100 020 – 6 11 0

CARLOS PITCHING – N. Hoelscher – W, 9IP, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 3BB, 10SO

CARLOS OFFENSE – Noetzelman – 0-1, HBP, BB, 1 run; Jake Tharaldson – BB, HBP; Ryan Severson – 0-1, BB, 1 run; Justin Cummins – HBP, 1 run; Joe Snaza – 1-4; Kurt Kalina – 1-1, RBI; Brad Nyberg – 1-4, HBP, 1 run; Jenzen – 2-3, BB, RBI; Troy Putnam – BB; Bruggeman – 2-5, RBI; J. Steidl – 1-2, 2B, 1 run, RBI; Mark Hillesheim – 0-1; Matt Hoelscher – 1-4; Schjenken – 2-3, 1 run, 2 RBI

CLARISSA 000 001 000 – 1 8 1

CARLOS 010 100 000 – 2 8 1

CARLOS PITCHING – Noetzelman – 2-4; Severson – 0-4; Snaza – 0-3, BB; Nyberg – 1-4; Jenzen – 1-2, 2B, BB, 1 run; Putnam – 1-1; Bruggeman – 1-3; J. Steidl – 1-2, BB, SB, 1 run, RBI; M. Hoelscher – 1-3; Schjenken – 0-2, RBI; Tharaldson – 0-1

Tags: carlos sports, sports, baseball, resorters