LocalSportsJournal.com
HESPERIA — Hart and Hesperia split a West Michigan Conference Rivers Division baseball doubleheader on Tuesday.
Hart won the opener 10-3 and Hesperia took the nightcap, 9-8.
The Pirates enjoyed solid pitching and good hitting in the opener, with Ty Schlukebir working five innings on the hill and allowing three runs on five hits while striking out nine.
Avery Guikema came on in relief to finish the last two innings of the game.
Blake Weirich led the hitting attack for the Pirates going 4-for-5 with three runs batted in, Schlukebir was 3-for-5 and Mitchell Slade finished 2-for-3 with four RBI.
The Pirates scored all eight of their runs in the first two innings to take an 8-2 lead, but then didn’t score any more runs while the Panthers stormed back.
Schlukebir was 2-for-3 with a triple and one RBI to lead the Pirates at the plate. Weirich went 2-for-3 with one RBI, Carter Ramseyer was 2-for-3 with one RBI, Clayton Riley had a hit and one RBI and Tyler VanderZanden drove in two runs.
Hart is now 8-10 overall and 5-3 in the WMC Rivers. The Pirates step out of the conference Thursday for a doubleheader at Marion.
The Panthers are 5-15 and host Chippewa Hills in a non-conference twin bill Friday.
