For Wayland McKague’s Hermann Bearcat baseball team, the blue and white played all three of their games last week against opponents that were located on or along Highway 19.

That stretch of action began last Tuesday at Dick Ochsner Ball Park with the Bearcats hosting the Community R-6 Trojans out of Laddonia.

Leading 1-0 after one inning, Hermann gave starting pitcher Bracksten Carr more than enough run support thanks to a four-run bottom of the third inning leading to a 6-0 shutout of the visiting Trojans.

After Carr pitched around a one-out single in the top of the first inning, he helped his own cause in the bottom half of the frame.

Delivering a leadoff double after running the count full, Carr would later score on a Carter Humphrey RBI single giving the host Bearcats a 1-0 lead after one inning.

Retiring the Trojans in order in both the top of the second and third innings, Carr’s Bearcats gave him some more run support in the bottom of the third.

Kruz Eldringhoff singled and scored on a Humphrey RBI single doubling the Hermann lead to 2-0.

Nolan Ogroski was then hit by a pitch before Trent Chasteen walked to load the bases full of Bearcats.

During Cole Brinker’s second at bat of the game, Humphrey scored on a balk before Brinker recorded a RBI ground out to score Ogroski and bump the Hermann lead to 4-0.

Kyle Koch then capped Hermann’s four-run bottom of the third inning with a RBI single scoring Chasteen making it 5-0 in favor of the host Bearcats after three innings.

Retiring 11 consecutive Trojan batters in a row over a four-inning span, Carr went on to earn the complete-game victory shutting out Community R-6 on three hits and a walk to go with seven strikeouts.

Hermann scored their final run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when Humphrey walked and later crossed the plate on an error.

Bearcats vs. Owensville

Two nights later, Hermann’s Bearcats stepped back into Four Rivers Conference (FRC) play hosting Owensville’s Dutchmen last Thursday at Dick Ochsner Ball Park.

Leading 6-5 through five innings, Hermann saw their Gasconade County rivals plate four runs in the top of the sixth inning leaving them on the wrong end of a 9-8 final score.

Trailing 4-0 entering the bottom of the second inning, Hermann turned a pair of hits and an error two runs.

Ogroski reached on an error and scored when Koch reached on a fielder’s choice getting the Bearcats on the board.

Trent Chasteen then singled and scored on a Braden Schutt RBI sacrifice fly cutting their deficit in half to 4-2 after two innings.

Holding Owensville scoreless in the top half of the third inning, Hermann tied it in the bottom of the third plating two more runs.

Carr led off the frame with a single before a Humphrey single put two runners on base with one out for Ogroski.

Hitting a 2-RBI double to left field, Ogroski drove in Carr and Humphrey to tie the game at 4-4 after three innings.

Owensville reclaimed a 5-4 lead in the top of the fourth inning before the Bearcats got their chance to answer in the bottom half of the fourth.

Schutt drew a one-out walk before he scored the tying run on a Carr RBI sacrifice fly knotting the game back up at 5-5.

Keeping Owensville off the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning, Hermann had a chance at their first lead of the game.

Humphrey singled and scored on an outfield error putting the Bearcats in front 6-5 against their Highway 19 rivals to the south after five innings.

Owensville answered with four runs in the top of the sixth inning on three hits and an error leaving Hermann staring at a 9-6 deficit.

McKague’s Bearcats closed the gap in the bottom of the sixth inning with a pair of runs on three hits.

Schutt singled and scored on a Corbin Sadler RBI single cutting the Dutchmen lead to 9-7 with one out.

During Eldringhoff’s fourth at bat of the game, Sadler scored on an error leaving Hermann trailing 9-8 after six innings.

After Humphrey pitched around a hit batter and a single in the top of the seventh inning, the Bearcats had a chance to either force extra innings of walk off the Dutchmen in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Ogroski drew a leadoff walk before being retired on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Chasteen.

Koch then extended the game reaching on a dropped third strike allowing Chasteen to move up to second base.

Seeing the game end on a strikeout, Hermann’s comeback attempt fell short by one run.

Humphrey took the tough-luck loss in relief of Koch pitching two innings of relief allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits and one strikeout.

Carr, Sadler and Humphrey each had two hits for the Bearcats against the Dutchmen.

Bearcats at Cuba

Closing their week against Highway 19 opponents last Friday at Cuba, the Bearcats were looking for their second win in the span of a week against the Wildcats following a 7-0 victory during the Linn Baseball Tournament the previous Friday.

Only able to score a pair of runs in the third and seventh innings, Hermann ended up on the wrong side of a 6-4 final score in Crawford County.

Trailing 3-0 after two innings, Hermann got on the board in the top of the third inning  plating two runs on four hits and a walk.

Schutt and Sadler recorded back-to-back singles to start the frame before they were both driven home by Carr on a two-RBI double trimming Cuba’s lead to 3-2.

Cuba then added a run in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the bottom of the sixth leaving Hermann trailing 6-2 entering a do-or-die top of the seventh inning.

Schutt and Sadler both walked and scored but Hermann could not do any further damage with three consecutive outs after both walks.

Kohlt Witthaus took the loss pitching four innings allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks to go with three strikeouts.

On the road in FRC baseball action Monday night at Pacific, Hermann then hosted Crosspoint Christian last night (Tuesday) before facing Elsberry today (Wednesday) in a make-up contest from earlier this month when it was rained out.

They will then cap a four-game week on Friday hosting Belle’s Tigers.