HUMBOLDT — Humboldt High’s baseball team remained unbeaten Tuesday, winning its first game in a rout, 11-1, over visiting Burlington.
The Cubs capped the sweep in a 3-2 pitchers’ duel in the nightcap to improve to 6-0.
Grayson Pearish limited the Wildcats to five hits and no earned runs in the opener. He struck out eight.
“Grayson had great command, worked ahead in the count and kept their hitters off balance,” Humboldt head coach Mike Miller said. “We were able to put up some runs against their quality pitching.”
The Cubs scored in every inning but the fifth.
The lead stood at 2-0 after one, 3-0 after two and 4-0 by the end of the third. A five-run fourth put the game away.
Hunter Murrow and Jake Haviland both had two hits. Caleb Vanatta doubled. Adding one single each were Kason Siemens, Jacob Carpenter, Pearish and Alex Murrow. Murrow also had three RBIs.
Humboldt spotted Burlington a 2-0 lead in the first inning of Game 2.
“Alex Murrow started off a little shaky,” Miller said. “They loaded the bases, but he escaped with only the two runs. After that, he settled in and pitched about as well as he possibly could. He had to wiggle out of a few jams, but always found a way to make a pitch when needed. We also made some very good defense plays behind him.”
Humboldt cut the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the third.
Corey Whitcomb’s RBI single tied the score in the bottom of the sixth. A double steal with runners on first and third forced the Burlington pitcher to commit a balk, putting in the go-ahead run.
“We fought hard and continued to battle until the end, even though things weren’t going our way most of the night.”
Murrow gave up six hits and two walks, while striking out 10 in his complete-game victory.
Siemens went 3-for-3 with a double, while Vanatta and Whitcomb both singled twice.
Humboldt sweeps past Burlington
