CLEAR LAKE - Looking to pick up a signature road victory, the fourth-ranked (Class 2A) St. Edmond baseball team suffered an 8-2 North Central Conference setback to No. 7 (3A) Clear Lake Wednesday night.
The Gaels (9-4 overall, 3-2 NCC) managed six hits in the game and plated single runs in the first and third innings.
Tommy Setterdahl and Nate Kolacia each recorded two hits for SEHS, while Hank Crimmins added a double. David Flattery also drove in both scores with sacrifice flies.
Despite taking the loss, Flattery (3-1) went the distance, scattering 10 hits with 10 strikeouts.
"David just didn't locate at times against an aggressive hitting team," said Gael head coach Joe Shanks. "(The Lions) were looking for a first pitch strike, which is when most of their hits came.We were ahead 2-1 (in the bottom of the fourth inning) and kept a couple of balls in the infield, but we just couldn't make plays on them. They also had a controversial swinging bunt that helped turn the momentum in their favor, and they kept pounding away."
Tanner Truesdell finished with three hits for the league-leading Lions (10-2, 4-0), including a double. Jake Kockler and Gavin Sheakley both chipped in a pair of hits as well for Clear Lake, which extended its win streak to nine straight games. The Lions, whose only two losses this season came against third-ranked and defending 1A state semifinalist Mason City Newman, have now outscored their opponents on the year by a combined margin of 107-36.
Fact Box
Clear Lake 8, St. Edmond 2
St. Edmond 101 000 0-2 6 3
Clear Lake 100 232 x-8 10 2
David Flattery and Matthew Bocken; Gavin Sheakley, Ozzie Adams (4) and Tanner Tusha.
2B-SE: Hank Crimmins; CL: Tanner Truesdell, Jake Kockler.
"This was a good learning experience for our guys," Shanks said. "We didn't want to lose this one, but we have to get better and move on."
Up next for the Gaels is a NCC home matchup with Algona on Friday.