LocalSportsJournal.com

WHITE CLOUD — The White Cloud Indians captured two baseball victories on Friday against visiting Chippewa Hills.

The Indians won the opener, 6-3, and the nightcap in come-from-behind fashion, 7-6, on a walk off single by freshman Reece Hewitt in the bottom of the seventh inning.

In the first game, the Indians took a 3-0 lead in the third inning then increased it to 4-0 in the fourth. Chippewa Hills plated three runs over the fifth and sixth innings to pull to within 4-3.

Mason Cruzan’s two-run single in the sixth inning gave White Cloud insurance runs.

Mason Ruether was the winning pitcher. He allowed two earned runs, walked three and struck out 12 in 5 1/3 innings of work. Jayson Ruether came on for the save.

The offense was led by Christian Ringler with a double and a single, and Mason Cruzan with two singles and two RBI.

The nightcap was a whole different story as Chippewa Hills scored three in the third and one in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. The Indians cut the deficit in half with two runs in the fourth. Mason Ruether singled and a Chippewa Hills error plated the second run.

The Warriors increased the lead to 6-2 with a pair of runs in the fifth inning.

Another Mason Ruether single in the fifth cut the lead to 6-3.

In the sixth, the Indians tied the game. After a lead off pop out, Ringler singled to left, Landyn McGowen hit into a fielder’s choice, Reece Hewitt got aboard on an error and Jayden Robinson walked to load the bases with two out.   Mason Cruzan hit a line shot to right field to score a run, then KJ Strait laced a sharp single up the middle to drive in two more and the game was tied at 6-all.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Ringler reached base on an error and promptly stole second base. After a groundout, Hewitt smashed a hard ground ball up the middle to drive in the speedy Ringler for the come-from-behind victory.
 
White Cloud (9-6-1) will take on Lakeview next Tuesday in Lakeview.