BURLINGTON — Humboldt High’s Cubs were cold then hot Monday in Tri-Valley League baseball action against host Burlington High’s Wildcats.
According to Cub head coach Mike Miller, pitching and defense were the big factors in the first game. The Cubs gave up eight runs in the first inning and lost 12-5.
“Seth Nickell started on the mound and struggled from the start. We had several opportunities to help him out but the defense wasn’t there at the start and that led to a big inning for (Burlington),” Miller said.
Nickell left the mound after getting just one out and Grayson Pearish came on in relief. Pearish pitched 42⁄3 innings “and really threw well.” Caleb Vanatta had one inning of pitching for the Cubs.
Humboldt scored two runs in the third, one in the fourth and two in the fifth to make it 8-5. The Wildcats produced four insurance runs in the sixth.
Taylor Lhuillier connected for three singles and Nick Wiltse had two singles. Vanatta had a double and single. Alex Murrow, Nathan Whitcomb and Pearish each had a base hit.
Then came the hot. The Cubs had 15 hits and a strong pitching performance from Whitcomb in his first varsity start. Humboldt won 13-0 in five innings.
“We really felt we were a better team than we played like in the first game. So I challenged our guys to come out and show it in the second game,” Miller said. “We played great defensively behind Nathan, who really was dominant.”
It was Humboldt which scored eight runs in the first inning in game two. The Cubs added a run in the second and two each in the third and fourth innings.
While the Cub offense was pounding out hits and scoring runs, Whitcomb allowed just two singles, walked one and struck out six Wildcat batters.
Vanatta, Lhuillier and N. Wiltse delivered three singles apiece while A. Murrow and Whitcomb had two base hits each. Hunter Morrow and Pearish had a single apiece.
The Cubs are 2-2 in TVL play and overall.
Cubs split with Wildcats
