SHELBY — Clutch hitting in the fourth inning of the opener of Wednesday’s doubleheader against Manistee sparked the Shelby Tigers to a sweep that bumped their season record to 4-0. Shelby won the two six-inning games 4-2 and 9-5.
Down 2-1 entering the fourth, Shelby manufactured a big inning, starting when freshman Matthew Picon singled. After a sacrifice bunt, two straight walks loaded the bases, and then Cam Smith was hit by a pitch to tie the game. Chase Simon then looped a softly hit ball over the infield to bring in the eventual winning run, and Eli Kelley’s groundout added some insurance.
From there, Trevor Weiss, who pitched an excellent game, locked things down, allowing only one baserunner in each of the final two innings of the game. Weiss allowed only two hits and no earned runs, striking out five.
Simon led the Tiger bats in game one with three hits, driving in two runs. Shelby made only one error in the game.
The Tigers again came up big in game two, breaking open a 4-4 tie with five runs in the fifth inning, scoring all of them with two outs, to secure the sweep.
With the bases loaded, two outs and the Tigers having just struck out to put the pressure on, Leighton Belasco delivered with a line-drive single to score Neil Gowell. Two more runs came across on the play when Manistee committed an error in left field.
The Tigers weren’t done, though, as Smith followed with his own line-drive single to score Belasco, and Simon doubled him home as well. Simon and Evan Waller each drove in runs for Shelby in a four-run third inning, too.
Smith got three hits in the nightcap, and Simon and Waller each had two. DayDay Garcia got the win on the mound, striking out eight in five innings and allowing three earned runs. Kelley closed it out in the sixth.
