Baseball: Oilers sweep Chargers

by Brent Koaches

The Dow High varsity baseball team lost both games of a doubleheader to the Mount Pleasant Oilers Thursday night, losing 8-4 in game one before dropping the second game 14-3 in five innings.

In game one, the Chargers’ took an early 1-0 second inning lead before surrendering four in the third. Dow would battle back with two more of their own to cut the Oilers’ lead to one, but the bats would go cold after that. The Chargers would score only one more time the rest of the way while Mount Pleasant added two in both the fourth and fifth to secure the win.

On the mound, junior Sean Hartman worked three innings and allowed five runs and five hits while walking three batters and striking out two. Junior Nate Richard led the Chargers on the offensive end with a double and three hits. Senior Tim McDonald went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while Andrew Seer, Brett Lechner, Connor Hanlon, and Mike Allen each added a hit for the Chargers.

After the game, Dow coach Kip Harris said he was pleased with the game one performance but was not happy with the four-run inning that the team allowed the Oilers to have.

“As good as Mount Pleasant is, you have to go out and pitch well and play good defense,” Harris said. “Especially when you’ve got them down on the scoreboard.”

In game two, it was the Oilers who took the quick lead, getting up 3-0 early. The Chargers would come back to score three runs of their own in the bottom half of the third inning, but they would be the team’s final runs of the night. The Oilers scored four runs in the fourth inning and seven more in the fifth to take a 14-3 lead. After the Chargers failed to score in the bottom of the fifth, the game would be called because of the mercy rule.

On the mound, senior Reed Swift went 3 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs and five hits while walking four and striking out two. Senior Matt Skirving led the Chargers on the offensive side, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI. McDonald, Hanlon, and Richard also added hits.

Despite the losses, Harris is optimistic for the remainder of the season. District playoffs are not far off for the Chargers, though he says the team will have to improve if it wants a crack at winning a pair of district games.

“We have to find some consistency,” Harris said. “Our defense has to be a lot better than it has been so far this year.”

The Chargers will return to action Saturday at the Midland High Invitational. Games are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.