By Yaneek Smith

Special to the Sentinel-Tribune

OREGON — Bowling Green found out the hard way just how good Clay is, falling, 8-2, to the Eagles on Tuesday at the William P. Coontz Recreation Complex’s John Ousky Field.

The win, which drops the Bobcats to 9-10 and 4-7 in the Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division, comes despite a pretty good pitching performance from Logan Neifer.

Neifer gave up eight runs, only five of which were earned, but was done in by two home runs by the Eagles’ first baseman, Lucas Jeremy.

Jeremy hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning, which gave the Eagles (14-1, 10-0) the lead for good at 3-1.

Clay is currently ranked 11th in Division I.

It began with Brock Fussell grounding out to third, but a high pop up on the infield by Drake Sekinger was dropped, and he advanced to second base.

The next batter was Aiden Schroeder, who, after Sekinger moved to third on a wild pitch, hit a sacrifice fly to center to tie the score, 1-1. Hudson Byers lined a single to center before Jeremy drilled an 0-1 pitch over the wall in left.

In the fourth, Jeremy hit another two-run homer on an 0-2 pitch to push the lead to 5-1, and Vince Gallaher hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored Al Sutton, who reached after he was hit by a pitch.

BG found out the hard way just how good Gallaher is, as he hadn’t given up an earned run in 24.1 innings of work coming into the game.

The Bobcats managed to score twice against him, with the first run coming in the second after Carter Earl reached when his ground ball down the third-base line hit the bag, and Neifer was hit by a pitch.

With one out, Caleb Kuntsmann popped out to center, and Earl tagged up and reached third. Brent Boston came to the plate and hit a ground ball just inside the third-base line, and Earl scored, giving BG a short-lived, 1-0 lead.

BG’s second run, which came in the seventh, was scored when Joey Kline scored on a wild pitch. Kline reached on an infield hit to short.

Clay’s shortstop made a sliding play up the middle on his side of the bag to keep the ball from going into the outfield. It kicked off him to the second baseman on the other side of the bag who didn’t have a play. Still, it was not enough for the Bobcats.

In 31.1 innings, Gallaher, who is 5-0, has a no-hitter on his resume and is committed to Eastern Michigan.

There were some critical errors committed by the Bobcats in the game, and the Eagles made them pay every time.

“You can’t give them any freebies like the pop up in the infield because they will come back to hurt you,” said BG coach Fred Riggs. “It’s the little things that we preach. There was the hit by pitch and a walk. We’ve got to play really good defense and can’t allow those freebies. We battled the rest of the game.

“When you’re facing one of the best teams in the state, it’s going to take your best.”

Riggs says his players were there for each other, despite the outcome.

“We’re willing to pick up your teammate, but then we beat ourselves up,” he said. “We’ve got to put that behind us.”

In the fourth, BG, which saw its first two hitters strikeout, loaded the bases after Neifer drew a walk, Kuntsmann hit a single to right and Boston had a base hit to left, but a Matthew Brinkman strikeout ended on a questionable third strike to end the threat.

“The score wasn’t indicative of just how close the game was,” said Clay coach Jim Phillips. “We couldn’t get it going until Luke hit those home runs. The game was tight until those two home runs gave us some separation.”

Phillips says Gallaher has to be one of the top pitchers in Ohio.

“He was lights out. He has been outstanding every time he gets the ball,” Phillips said. “He’s a great asset to have, that’s for sure.”

The tournament draw comes on Sunday, and Riggs believes his club can win some games in the postseason. The Bobcats, despite typically playing against Division I schools, are in D-II.

“I’m pretty optimistic about us doing something in the tournament,” he said. “I think we can do something with our pitchers.”