by Jamie Harris
The struggles continued for the Berkeley Springs Indians varsity baseball team this past week, as they dropped four games to fall to 0-11 on the season. Despite flashes of offensive life, the Tribe was unable to put together a complete performance to secure their first win.
On Monday, March 31, the Indians traveled to Berryville, Va., to take on the Clarke County Eagles. Clarke County exploded for 12 runs in the first two innings and never looked back, cruising to a 17-0 shutout victory.
At the plate, Berkeley Springs was led by Jaxon McClintock with a double, while Kyle Rankin, Conner Maconaughey and Chase Stotler each added a single in the loss.
Returning home to Morgan Field on Wednesday, April 2, the Indians faced off against the Fort Hill Sentinels from Cumberland, Md. The Sentinels jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead in the first inning and extended it to 8-0 by the fifth.
Berkeley Springs attempted a rally with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but Fort Hill answered with six more in the sixth to secure a 12-5 win.
Jayden Michael led the Indians’ offense with two singles, a run and an RBI. Jaxon McClintock added a double and a run, while Kyle Rankin chipped in two singles and a run. Landon Stotler and Chase Stotler each had an RBI, with Chase recording two singles. Conner Maconaughey and Lewis Shifflett also added base hits.
On Thursday, April 3, the Tribe traveled to Inwood to take on the Musselman Applemen. Berkeley Springs came out strong with three runs in the top of the first inning, but Musselman responded with six of their own to seize control. Despite scoring in three straight innings, the Indians couldn’ t keep up with the Applemen’ s offense, falling 12-5.
Chase Stotler had a standout game with two singles, two runs and an RBI.
Kyle Moore contributed a double and an RBI, while Kyle Rankin, Jaxon McClintock and Conner Maconaughey each recorded a hit and a run. Landon Stotler added a single and drove in two runs.
The Indians closed out the week on Saturday, April 5, at home against the Hampshire Trojans. Hampshire quickly took control with a six-run first inning and added seven more over the course of the game to take a 13-2 victory.
Berkeley Springs managed just two hits in the game, with Kyle Rankin and Chase Stotler each collecting a single. Rankin and Jaxon McClintock both scored a run in the loss.
The road doesn’t get any easier for the Indians as they look to bounce back and grab their first win of the season. Here’s a look at the upcoming schedule: Thursday, April 10 at Robert C. Byrd, 5 p.m.; Friday, April 11 at Weir, 5 p.m. and Saturday, April 12 a double-header at Oak Glen, first game at 10 a.m.
