CHERRYVALE — Humboldt High wrapped up its third straight Tri-Valley League championship Tuesday, completing an undefeated romp through the 2024 league schedule, with a sweep of host Cherryvale, 7-1 and 6-3.
The Cubs did so in workmanlike fashion, utilizing many of the same ingredients that have fed the team’s 16-3 record — dependable pitching and a bit of power at the plate.
Humboldt’s Logan Page and Sam Hull both blasted a pair of home runs, while Cub pitchers Kyler Isbell, Logan Page and Cole Mathes limited the Chargers to a combined four runs and seven hits over the two games.
“Kyler didn’t have his best stuff,” Cub head coach Mike Miller said. “He was able to get out of some tough spots and hold their offense down.”
Isbell pitched six innings of Game 1, allowing four hits with six strikeouts and four walks.
Cole Mathes tossed a perfect inning of relief, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
Blake Ellis got things started with a double, followed up by the first of Hull’s two home runs.
“Our bats struggled through the middle part of the game,” Miller said.
The 2-0 lead remained until the top of the sixth, when Ellis was hit by a pitch with two outs. He moved up to second on a passed ball, prompting Cherryvale to intentionally walk Hull.
Page made the Chargers pay dearly, blasting the first pitch he saw over the right field fence, making it 5-0.
Another hit batter in the seventh put Mathes on base for Hull once again.
This time, the Chargers opted not to pitch around Hull. Again, he made them pay, blasting the first pitch over the center field fence for his second shot of the game, making it 7-1.
Hull added a single to his 3-for-4 performance with our RBIs. Page had a single, double and home run, with three RBIs. Ellis added a double, while Mason Sterling, Isbell and Mathes all had singles.
PAGE took the mound for Game 2, and aided his own cause with a two-run blast in the top of the first.
But it took him a while to find his pitching groove. He was greeted by a single, he hit a batter, and then saw Cherryvale’s Stetson Shafer hit a 2-0 pitch over the right field fence, giving the Chargers a 3-2 lead.
Ellis evened the score in the top of the second with an RBI double.
