HCHS sweeps Shenandoah, Creston with ease

 HARLAN -- The Harlan Community baseball team extended one of its best starts in school history on Wednesday and Thursday nights, sweeping Hawkeye Ten doubleheaders against Shenandoah and Creston to improve to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the conference. All four games were decided by the mercy rule.
 HCHS traveled to Shenandoah Wednesday and topped the Mustangs 14-1 in five innings and 10-0 in six, then hosted the Panthers at Jim Goeser Field Thursday and won by scores of 17-7 in five and 10-0 in six - the night cap finishing on Diamond 3 at J.J. Jensen Park following a fifth-inning power outage on the high school field.

HCHS 14-10, Shenandoah 1-0
 The Cyclones stormed out to a 14-0 lead by the top of the fourth in game one - scoring at least three runs per inning - and prevailed 14-1 in five behind Jared Moser’s five-RBI game and Joshua Cheek’s first varsity homer.
 In game two, Croghan (2-0) and Jacob Bartley combined on a four-hit shutout with Croghan pitching the first five innings of the 10-0 win.

HCHS 17-10, Creston 7-0
 Thursday’s doubleheader started with Creston taking an early 5-0 lead in game one and concluded with the final one and a half innings of the night cap played on Diamond 3. The Cyclones dominated on the scoreboard - 17-7 in five and 10-0 in six - highlighted by Ryan Doran’s six RBI in game one and a combined no-hitter from Kyle Schmitz and Jacob Bartley in game two.
 Schmitz enjoyed a career night in game two, bashing his first home run as part of a 3-for-4, three RBI performance at the plate and also pitching five hitless innings.
 Creston young pitching staff combined to issue 19 walks and hit six batters during the twin bill.