Justin Shank allowed just one earned run and struck out seven in Cardinal’s 8-2 win over visiting Wickliffe on Monday.
Shank also recorded a pair of hits in the win.
“He had another night, that’s for sure,” Cardinal coach Seth Klepper said of Shank. “It was a typical Justin Shank night. He kept the ball down and kept them off balance. He was painting the outside corner the whole night. He did what he had to do. I told him he had to work his fastball and take a little bit off of it to mix it up. That paid off.”
It also paid off for Shank to have senior Jacob Gotham back at catcher.
Gotham suffered through a sore shoulder for most of the season but returned behind the dish to call the game against the Blue Devils.
“We had Gotham behind the plate for the first time in a long time,” Klepper said. “I think Jacob and his experienced really helped out a lot.”
Gotham also recorded a pair of hits in the win.
Dan Heredos finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored and he knocked in another. Parker Campbell, Matt Carney and Rob Granny each doubled for the Huskies.
“I’ve been waiting for him to come up with a big hit,” Klepper said of Granny. “He did that tonight and I was so proud of him because he put the ball in play and he hit it hard. I thought it was almost out when he hit it.”
The Huskies also played solid defense in the win.
“We kept the ball in front of us and that’s what the whole game plan was,” Klepper said. “Our actual infield isn’t the best infield in the world but if you keep the ball in front of you you’re going to make some plays.”
Cardinal hosts Grand Valley on Wednesday.
