SHELBY – North Muskegon, in its first WMC conference doubleheader, swept Shelby 11-4 and 5-1. The two finished first and third in the division last season, and with little wiggle room for losses, North Muskegon possesses a strong lead to start the season.
Cam Hurst came on in relief in games one and two for North Muskegon and threw ten innings, allowing just one hit. The Norse tallied 21 total hits between both games one and two, which resulted in 16 runs.
Game One
North Muskegon got through its first six hitters before getting out after four straight singles, a double, and another single. Kylan Nielson started the scoring with an RBI single to right that scored Charlie Meyers. Bronson Hurst’s double and Logan Slimko’s single added another four runs on the board. Shelby’s DayDay Garcia scorched a leadoff double in the bottom of the first and would eventually score the Tigers’ first run of the day to close a high-scoring first inning of six total runs.
After holding North Muskegon to a scoreless frame in the top of the second, Shelby came alive offensively in the bottom half. Three straight singles by Garcia, Eli Kelley, and Chase Simon led the Tigers to narrow the deficit to just one run heading into the third. The Norse picked up two more runs thanks to a Slimko double and a Cam Hurst single in the third inning.
The game went stale offensively for both teams in the fourth and fifth innings. North Muskegon added two more insurance runs in the sixth and held off Shelby for the remaining six outs, taking game one 11-4.
Carter Mieler finished with four hits, Slimko added three, and Meyers, Bryce Colbert, Bronson Hurst, and Owen Silves each had a pair of base hits in game one.
Game Two
The nightcap displayed less of an offensive prowess for both teams with just seven hits combined, but the Hurst brothers both dealt on the mound for the Norse, leading to a 5-1 win.
Garcia drilled another leadoff base hit in game two and would eventually score off of a double from Cam Smith to take a 1-0 lead early. North Muskegon, however, strung together a couple of walks and a single that resulted in two runs and the lead, which was never given up the rest of the game.
The Norse tacked on two more in the third and one in the fourth on their way to a doubleheader sweep.
Bronson Hurst went two innings, allowing three hits on one earned run and five strikeouts. Cam Hurst came on in relief in the third and went the rest of the way, giving up zero hits and recording six punchouts.
Smith pitched all six innings for the Tigers and gave up four hits, three runs, six walks, and five strikeouts.
Looking Ahead
North Muskegon (5-0, 2-0) travels to Oakridge on Thursday for a doubleheader.
Shelby (3-2, 2-2) will host Kent City on Thursday.
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