Sophomore starting pitcher Travis Clark helped his own cause by hitting a two-out RBI double in the third inning.
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by Brandon Hopp
bhopp@digitalsports.com

The starting lineup today for Hammond's varsity baseball team consisted of one senior, seven sophomores and a freshman.  But the Golden Bears proved that they are no junior varsity squad as they defeated host River Hill 3-2 on Tuesday.

"We are the youngest team in Howard County by far with seven sophomores and one freshman," said Hammond head coach Mike Lerner.  "So I'm basically rolling out a team that could play JV with the exception of a couple of seniors and a couple of juniors.  Everybody is contributing, we're starting to believe in each other..."

The Hawks by comparison started four seniors, four juniors and a sophomore on a veteran team.

Starting pitcher Travis Clark, one of the several sophomores for Hammond, pitched a strong game mixing a sharp breaking ball with a good fastball to keep the potent River Hill lineup off balance.  Clark, the big right-hander, improved to 2-3 as a starter this season as he pitched seven innings, striking out 10 batters and allowed just three hits.

"I had my stuff today," said Clark of his outting.  "I was just throwing strikes and hitting my spots."
 
"Travis threw a great game," Lerner said of his young starter.  "One thing that's been hurting us all year is when we start walking guys and giving them extra base runners, Travis didn't do that today..."

As baseball fans know, if a pitcher can help himself at the plate as a hitter, it goes a long way to earning the victory.  Clark did just that in the bottom of the third, knocking in a two-out RBI double to score sophomore left fielder Taylor Kopnitsky.  The run put Hammond (4-6-1) on the board first at 1-0.

The Hawks (4-6) tied the game in the bottom of the inning when lead-off batter Bryan Becraft singled to start the inning.  He stole second base and was eventually driven in as Stephen Kline reached base on an error.  Behind its starting pitcher, senior John Blasher, who threw a complete game, River Hill kept the contest within reach.

The score didn't remain tied for long as the Golden Bears scored in the top of the fourth behind the base running of sophomore shortstop Jared Christensen.  Christensen hit a single and stole second and third base to get into scoring position.  He crossed the plate on a fielder's choice by senior Matt Winder to give Hammond the 2-1 lead.

Becraft scored his second run of the game in the bottom of the fifth after he singled, reached second on a passed ball then advanced to third base as Clark tried to pick him off of second base but sailed the throw into center field.  Becraft scored when senior first baseman Ryan Bounds reached base on an error.

But the young Bears battled back to take its final lead in the top of the sixth.   Sophomore Tyler Clark walked to start the inning.  Hammond's coach Mike Lerner inserted junior Kevin McVicker as a pinch runner.  McVicker stole second base then reached third on a ground out by Christensen.  With one out and McVicker on third, senior Zach Force knocked in the winning run on an RBI single.

Clark did the rest, striking out four of the last six batters to gain the victory for Hammond.


Hammond 3, River Hill 2

Hammond      001   101   0   --   3   6   2
River Hill        001   010   0   --   2   4   1

Trav. Clark and Shiflett; Blasher and Erdman.
2B: H--Trav. Clark.