Mason County Central, Manistee split twin bill as final tune-up before weekend districts; Shimel twirls a no-hitter

 

SCOTTVILLE — Mason County Central senior Owen Shimel pitched a no-hitter in the first game and the Spartans split a non-conference baseball doubleheader with Manistee at Spartan Field on Tuesday afternoon.

 

The Spartans won the opener 2-0. Manistee captured the nightcap, 6-5.

 

It was a tune-up for both teams as they prepare to kickoff post-season action Saturday in the district tournament. Manistee is hosting a Division 3 tournament.

 

“They were a good couple of games,” said Spartans coach Chris Carr. “Some of the best ball we’ve played all year. Nice to have a couple of good games before rolling into districts.”

 

With the Mariners neutralized by Shimel, the Spartans scored what proved to be the winning run in the bottom of the second and added another in the fifth.

 

The Spartans managed only two hits themselves against strong-armed righthander Eli Workman of Manistee. Pierce Bladzik and Kaden Ruiz each had a hit and an RBI.

 

Shimel went the distance with 12 strikeouts and one walk in six innings of work.

 

Workman threw the first 2 1/3 innings for the Mariners, yielding just the two hits while striking out three and issuing only one walk.

 

Braylen Zimmerman relieved him and did not allow a hit, walked two and struck out one in 1 2/3 innings. Keegan Shannon threw the final inning, giving up a run on one hit and walk. He struck out one.

 

In the nightcap, Mason County built a 4-1 lead after three innings, but the Mariners rallied to score four in the top of the fifth and surged ahead, 5-4.

 

The Spartans answered with a run in the bottom half of the fifth which made it a 5-all game, but the Mariners won the game with a run in the sixth.

 

Nathan Doremus, Mason Robinson, Eli Workman, Luke Olson, Landin Sowa, Shannon and Miles Joseph each had a hit. Robinson and Workman each had two RBI. Doremus drove in a run.

 

Mason County had more hits than the Mariners, 8-7 and made two fielding errors and Manistee committed only one.

 

Peyton Merz, Bladzik and Braylin Thurow each had two hits for the Spartans with Thurow, Merz and Kaden Moore each collecting a run batted in.

 

The Spartans (7-13) travel to Hesperia for the district at 12:30 p.m. Saturday against Hart (14-13) The Shelby (10-11-1)-Hesperia (8-18-1) semifinal begins at 10 a.m. The title game is scheduled for 2 p.m.

 

Manistee (11-10-1) is scheduled to play Benzie Central (16-13) in the first district semifinal at 10 a.m. Saturday, with Kingsley (18-5) taking on Traverse City St. Francis (25-9) at noon. The championship game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.