By Jim Misunas
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HILLSBORO — Larned’s Landon Erway spun a shutout to outduel Hillsboro’s best pitcher in a 1-0 baseball victory Monday. Larned catcher Carson Smith tagged Hillsboro’s Clayton Philpott out at home on an attempted steal to end the game. The Indians completed a sweep with a 13-3 second-game victory.
Defending CKL champion Larned (11-1, 11-1 CKL) is battling Pratt (14-1, 12-1 CKL) for first place.
LARNED 1,
HILLSBORO 0
Erway struck out 11 Hillsboro batters to match Hillsboro ace Austin Cross, who struck out 11 batters in five innings. Cross (2-2) has struck out 50 batters in five appearances. Cross struck out 11 batters in four innings and worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out situation with three consecutive strikeouts.
Larned’s Evan Skelton drove home Mason Schartz with the game-winning fifth-inning run. Schartz singled, stole second base and moved to third base on a passed ball. Cross stranded Larned runners in scoring position in the second third and fifth innings.
Erway alertly picked off Kaden Kleiner off second base in the first inning. Erway retired Austin Cross in the fourth inning and sixth inning after a Hillsboro baserunner reached first base.
LARNED 13,
HILLSBORO 3
Larned broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning and a four-run fifth inning. Alex Barger drove in four runs and delivered a two-run double. Gage Skelton drove in two runs. The Indians took advantage of nine walks and three hit batters.
Larned pitcher Jon Herter worked four innings to earn the victory.
Barger’s bases-loaded walk drove in Isiah Perez for a 1-0 lead. Perez’s groundout scored Evan Skelton and Jon Herter’s RBI bunt brought home Erway for a 3-0 lead. Gage Skelton’s single drove home Herter to cap a three-run third inning.
Carson Smith started a five-run fourth by scoring on a wild pitch. Erway’s groundout scored Schartz. Gage Skelton’s single scored Perez for a 7-1 lead. Barger’s double scored Herter and Gage Skelton for a 9-1 lead.
The Trojans gave away five walks and an error as Barger and Tanner Galliart forced home runs on fifth-inning walks.
Hillsboro’s Philpott drove home Austin Cross after singles in the second and fourth innings. Jorge Hanschu scored the Trojans’ third run.
LARNED 1, HILLSBORO 0
LARNED AB R H BI
Mason Schartz 3 1 1 0
Evan Skelton 3 0 1 1
Landon Erway 4 0 0 0
Isiah Perez 4 0 2 0
Jon Herter 3 0 1 0
Gage Skelton 2 0 1 0
Alex Barger 2 0 0 0
Dalton Bright 3 0 0 0
Carson Smith 3 0 1 0
TOTALS 27 1 7 1
HILLSBORO AB R H BI
Kaden Kleiner 3 0 1 0
Brooks Gardner 2 0 0 0
Braden Vogt 2 0 1 0
Austin Cross 3 0 0 0
Jorge Hanschu 3 0 0 0
Clayton Philpott 3 0 1 0
Tyson Reimer 3 0 1 0
Bryant Young 2 0 0 0
Chance Elliott 2 0 0 0
TOTALS 23 0 4 0
Larned 000 010 0 — 1 7 1
Hillsboro 000 000 0 — 0 4 3
LOB—Larned 10, Hillsboro 4. 3B—E. Skelton. S—E. Skelton. SB—Perez, Schartz, Herter, Smith, Philpott, Kleiner, Gardner. PB—Hanschu.
Larned IP H R ER BB SO
L. Erway 7 4 0 0 2 11
Hillsboro IP H R ER BB SO
Austin Cross 5 6 1 1 3 11
Braden Vogt 2 1 0 0 1 3
LARNED 13, HILLSBORO 3
LARNED AB R H BI
Mason Schartz 3 2 0 0
Evan Skelton 1 2 0 0
Landon Erway 2 1 0 1
Isiah Perez 4 3 2 1
Jon Herter 1 2 1 1
Gage Skelton 3 1 2 2
Alex Barger 2 0 1 4
Tanner Galliart 2 0 0 1
Carson Smith 2 1 1 0
Jordan Taylor 1 0 0 0
Mason Burris 1 0 0 0
Austin Gladow 0 1 0 0
TOTALS 22 13 7 10
HILLSBORO AB R H BI
Kaden Kleiner 3 0 0 0
Brooks Gardner 3 0 0 0
Braden Vogt 2 0 0 0
Austin Cross 2 2 0 0
Jorge Hanschu 1 0 2 0
Austin Purk 0 1 0 0
Clayton Philpott 2 0 1 2
Tyson Reimer 2 0 0 0
Jacob Funk 2 0 0 0
Chance Elliott 1 0 0 0
TOTALS 18 3 3 2
Larned 013 54 — 13 7 2
Hillsboro 010 20 — 3 3 2
LOB—Larned 9, Hillsboro 2. 2B—Barger, Perez. S—E. Skelton. SB—E. Skelton 3, Schartz 2, Smith 2, Perez 2, Erway, Cross 3, Philpott, Hanschu. HBP—Schartz, Galliart, E. Skelton. PB—Hanschu 6, Smith.
Larned IP H R ER BB SO
Herter 4 3 3 2 2 7
G. Skelton 1 0 0 0 0 1
Hillsboro IP H R ER BB SO
Vogt 2 1 1 1 3 0
Kleiner 1-2/3 6 8 1 3 2
Philpott 1/3 0 0 0 1 1
Gardner 5 0 3 1 3 0
Young 1 0 1 0 2 2
