The Hobart baseball team split a doubleheader with visiting Clarkson at McDonough Park Friday. The Statesmen used a 3-run eighth inning to take Game 1 3-2, while the Golden Knights took advantage on three Hobart errors for a 4-3 win in the nightcap.
Hobart junior pitcher Teck Nash earned his first win of the season, allowing only one earned run in eight innings while striking out two and walking none. Sophomores Sean Garvin and Connor Schmiedlin delivered RBIs and junior Christian Petry stole home for the go-ahead run. Junior Max Friedlander threw a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the year.
Clarkson scored three unearned runs in its Game 2 victory and got a strong showing from its bullpen. Sophomores Dan Horowitz and Nathan Hartley combined for five innings of no-hit relief, earning the win and a save, respectively.
THE PITCHERS’ DUEL
- While Nash delivered a strong outing, he trailed 2-0 when he walked off the mound following the top of the eighth.
- Clarkson starter, senior Cole Riskin struck out 11 and walked only two, scattering four hits in seven innings.
- The Golden Knights took the lead in the fourth, scoring an unearned run on a Statesmen throwing error.
- CU padded its lead in the eight when senior Cam Jerrett doubled and scored on junior James Mason’s RBI single.
- Hobart got to the Clarkson bullpen in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with a walk, single and hit-by-pitch to start the inning.
- Garvin’s RBI single to left made it a one-run game.
- With the bases still loaded and one out, Schmiedlin bounced one up the middle that short hopped the second baseman, but the ball rolled right to the short stop covering second. The Knights picked up an out, but surrendered the lead.
- Then, with runners on the corners, Petry and Schmiedlin executed a double steal. Petry slid into home just ahead of the tag to give Hobart the lead.
- Friedlander worked around a one-out walk by inducing a game-ending, around the horn double play.
KNIGHTS’ REVENGE
- Hobart got out to the 2-0 lead in the second game of the doubleheader.
- First-year Jay Voica’s two-out, RBI single in the second got the Statesmen on the board and Schmiedlin added another two-out, RBI single in the third inning.
- The Statesmen almost worked out of a one out, bases loaded jam in the fourth. Hobart got one out at second, but the throw to first ended up out of play, allowing two runs to score.
- Hobart reclaimed the lead when Petry scored on a wild pitch in the fifth. The Statesmen had two runners in scoring position with no outs, but Horowitz struck out the next two batters and got a fly out to quell the threat.
- Clarkson, thanks to David Harris’ RBI double and Beau Vardion’s RBI single, took the lead in the sixth inning and the bullpen did the rest.
FOR THE RECORD
- Following the split, Hobart’s record stands at 13-7 overall, 4-4 in the Liberty League.
- Clarkson moved to 9-9 overall, 3-5 in league play.
UP NEXT
- Saturday’s Game 3 of the series has been postponed due to the rest of the weekend forecast.
- Hobart will return to action, Thursday, April 10 when the Statesmen host Keystone at McDonough Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
