Late comeback falls short as Clovers suffer first loss against Shakamak

Cloverdale senior Justin Wilson slides into third base just ahead of a tag by Shakamak senior Brody Crowe. Wilson doubled in the first inning for Cloverdale. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

CLOVERDALE -- Senior Austin Mannan did his best to will the Cloverdale baseball team to a win on Thursday, stealing third in the bottom of the seventh inning and vocally rallying his squad at the plate, but it wasn't enough as the Clovers lost to Shakamak 4-3.

Cloverdale (4-1, 2-0 WCC) started freshman Brayden White on the mound and he pitched with impressive poise and control in the early goings. White struck out five batters in the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth.

"I thought (White) did a great job," Cloverdale coach Brian Archer said. "Up until this point we hadn't thrown him but we knew going in that tonight he was going to throw strikes and was going to throw well. That says a lot for us to have confidence in a freshman like that, with his first game pitching against Shakamak and the ball club they are."

Trailing 1-0, Shakamak started to drive the ball into gaps in the Cloverdale defense and put pressure on hosts.

The Lakers scored four runs on four hits (and two errors) in the frame.

"Their 3-4-5 are as good as anybody's," Archer said. "They're picky, they're selective and they have great at bats, every at bat. (No. 3 hitter Patrick Green) started off with a base hit, the next guy hit a double in the gap.

"We were trying to stay away from throwing fastballs on the outer half because they were hitting it to the opposite field. We started coming in on them and they still had inside-out swings and still drove the ball to the outfield. Brayden was making good pitches, they were just that good of hitters."

The Clovers couldn't begin to mount any sort of rally against Shakamak's Braxton Yeryar. The sophomore threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out eight.

White rallied back in the fifth before giving way to senior Cody Carter in the sixth.

Carter struck out the side in his first inning and got out of the seventh without allowing a hit.

Yeryar began to fatigue in the final inning and the Clovers could sense his weakness.

"We preach being smart and aggressive," Archer said. "That pitcher had thrown the whole game, he had shown signs of getting tired, so I think the kids were trying to make him get one (strike) on them and make him work for it."

CHS brought the top of its order to the plate to start the seventh but allowed two quick outs before Mannan came to the plate.

He was struck in the back by the first pitch, advanced to second on a pass ball, then put himself and the rally at risk with a stolen base attempt at third.

He was ruled safe on a close play and Yeryar walked the next three hitters to score a run.

Carter scored on another pass ball, bringing White to the plate with two runners on, down 4-3.

"With a good hitter up, we were in a great position to win the game," Archer said. "To battle back like that in the last inning and be smart at the plate and put ourselves in a position to win, we can't ask for anything else.

"Brayden had a good at bat, the guy rang him up on an outside fastball with two strikes. Some days he takes that to right field and we win the game. Today he took it and the umpire called it."

Cloverdale will look to respond Monday when it hosts Monrovia at 5 p.m.

Brayden White

At Cloverdale
Shakamak ......000 400 0 -- 4 7 2 6
Cloverdale .....010 000 2 -- 3 4 4 10