The NCHS Eagles JV baseball team had a mixed week, showcasing both dominance on the mound and areas for growth as they secured a shutout win against Pana JV on Saturday before falling to Mattoon JV Greenwave in a tough seventh inning on Tuesday.
Pitching Powers Eagles Past Pana JV in 3-0 Shutout
Both teams brought strong pitching performances to the field on Saturday, but the NCHS Eagles JV emerged victorious with a 3-0 shutout over Pana JV.
Nolen Cleaver set the tone for the Eagles, starting on the mound and delivering three solid innings. He allowed just one hit and no runs, striking out four and walking none. Reliever Amos Mahaffey kept the shutout intact, throwing two more innings of scoreless ball, giving up one hit while striking out four and walking one.
The Eagles struck early, putting up all three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Cylas Dickerson’s single to right got things started, followed by an RBI groundout from Eli Wolf and a bases-loaded walk to Cleaver, each bringing in a run.
Dickerson and Jackson James were key offensively, each collecting two hits. Wolf and Dickerson also drove in runs to secure the win.
For Pana JV, #33 pitched two innings, giving up four hits and three runs. #8 and #9 each logged a hit but were unable to convert them into runs.
Late Surge From Mattoon JV Sinks Eagles in 12-3 Loss
On Tuesday, NCHS Eagles JV held a slim lead through the fourth inning but couldn’t contain a late offensive explosion from Mattoon JV Greenwave, ultimately falling 12-3 after a tough seventh inning.
Brady Smith gave the Eagles the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a single to right field. A walk to Dalton Brannon and a run scored on a wild pitch helped NCHS go up 3-1. However, a fielding error in the sixth allowed Mattoon JV to tie the game at three, and the momentum shifted.
The top of the seventh proved disastrous for the Eagles as Mattoon JV tallied nine runs on four hits, including a two-run double by Braylon Uppencamp. Max Wetzel led the way at the top of the order, going 2-for-4, while Mattoon ran aggressively on the basepaths, stealing seven bases in total.
Nolen Cleaver once again took the mound for NCHS, allowing just two runs on two hits over four innings and striking out five. Spracklen started for Mattoon and held the Eagles scoreless over three innings, allowing just one hit while striking out six.
Smith, Wyatt Ochs, Carter Barthelme, and Chance Mulvey each recorded a hit for the Eagles, with Smith driving in one run.
Despite the late-game stumble, NCHS showed solid performances in both games and will look to bounce back as they travel to face Marshall JV Lions on Friday.
