LocalSportsJournal.com

CUSTER — It was certainly a tale of two games for the Mason County Eastern baseball team Thursday in its Western Michigan D League doubleheader with visiting Bear Lake, which the Cardinals split.

Eastern senior Wyatt Crawford threw all seven innings of the opener which the Cardinals won by a narrow 1-0 score. He tossed a fine one-hitter, walked only one batter and sat down 11 Laker batters.  

James Drake scored the Cardinals only run of the game, after leading off the game with a double, went to third and eventually came home when Keegan Bates hit into a fielder’s choice.  

Eastern lost the nightcap, 12-4 as Drake started but went only 1 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on two hits and five walks, striking out three.  

Keegan Nelson entered the game in relief and threw 1 2/3 innings, giving up five runs on five hits, walked two and hit one batter while striking out two. Zack Howe finished the game and gave up three runs on three hits and two walks, hit one batter and struck out a pair.  

Crawford was 2-for-2 with a walk and had one RBI. Bates finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, Howe had a double and one RBI while Drake, Nelson and Ron Hasenbank each scored a run. Clay Shoup had a hit.