Raiders now 7-1 in baseball

Cameron County has rebounded nicely from its first baseball loss since the state playoffs almost a year ago.

On Thursday, pitching ace Cameron Clingan and his usual batterymate, David Lyon, combined to limit Otto-Eldred to two hits in the Raiders' 7-2 win at Duke Center. CCHS improved to 7-1.

Garrett Hornung had three hits, while Jordan Crane and Mike Baker cracked a pair of his for the Raiders.

Baker, a sophomore, made his varsity pitching debut with a solid showing on Tuesday against visiting Northern Potter. He pitched a complete game -- abbreviated to three innings -- surrendering four hits and walking just one batter.

The Cameron County bats poured it on to make quick work of the Panthers. Baker, Lyon and Sean McManigle each homered. Matt Kriner cracked a pair of doubles.

On Monday, the Red Raiders broke open a close game at Coudersport in the fourth inning and went on to put away the Falcons, 13-3.

McManigle had a home run, a double and five RBI to spark the offense against six Coudersport pitchers. Lyon also had two hits, including a round-tripper.

Crane pitched a complete game, weathering six walks and fanning 10. Crane helped his own cause with a home run and three RBI.

Derek Burdick had two of Coudersport's five hits, including an apparent home run that was ruled a double.

Last Friday, the Red Raiders ran into a buzzsaw in the person of Johnsonburg pitcher Calvin Grumley. He struck out 16 batters and yielded just two hits in the hosts' 1-0 win.

Clingan was almost as good. He held Johnsonburg (6-0) to just three hits and fanned 11 in pitching a complete game.

"That's the best effort I've ever seen from Calvin," said Johnsonburg coach Jeff Peterson. "He stepped up and showed why he's going to be a good pitcher at the collegiate level."

Cameron County threatened in the third after Baker walked and, two outs later, Hornung singled. Grumley got out of the jam with a strikeout.

Grumley scored the game's only run in the bottom of the third, when he singled, advanced to third on a walk and hit-batsman and scored on a sacrifice fly, just ahead of the tag by Lyon.

Peterson believes his Rams made a statement with the win. "They were the defending champs and the best team in the district," he said. "Now, we are."