The Houghton Lake varsity baseball squad swept a doubleheader against Harrison, 11-1 and 12-5, at the Bobcats home ballpark May 19. Then, after a 7-6 comeback win against Elk Rapids, the Bobcats fell to Mesick 4-2 in the championship game at a tournament held May 21 at Mesick.

HLHS 11, HHS 1

Pitching the victory was Kyle Bates. He pitched all five innings recording two strikeouts, walking two batters and allowing four hits and a run.

At the plate Eric Hurst hit 2-2, scored three runs and was walked twice; Dalton Bailey was 2-3, scored two runs and had two RBIs; Bates was 1-1, scored two runs, was walked twice and had four RBIs and Jared Orban, Matt Webster and Dakota Kolo each had a hit.

HLHS 12, HHS 5

In game two, Dylan Balbach pitched the victory. He pitched 6 and 1/3 innings, recorded five strikeouts, walked two and allowed six hits. He was relieved by Bates.

Offensively Hurst was 4-5 scoring four runs; Bailey was 3-5; Bates was 3-4, scored two runs and had four RBIs; Webster hit 2-3, scored two runs and had an RBI; Orban was 2-5, had a home run and two RBIs, Kolo was 2-4 with an RBI and Balbach, Kasey Turner and Todd DeLisle each had a hit.

Runners up at Mesick

HLHS 7, ERHS 6

With two outs and trailing 6-3 in the final inning the Bobcats had one man on first base and another on third. Hurst stepped up to bat and nailed a triple driving in two runs closing the gap to 6-5.

After Bailey was hit by a pitch, Orban hit a double to right center driving in a run to knot the score. Webster was then walked. With the bases loaded, Bates went up to bat and recorded a single that drove in the winning run.

Webster pitched the victory recording seven strikeouts, walking three and allowing 12 hits.

At the plate Orban hit 3-4 scoring two runs and hitting two doubles; Webster was 2-3, scored a run and had two doubles; Balbach was 3-3 with a run and Turner, Bates and Hurst each had a hit.

MHS 4, HLHS 2

Orban pitched the loss. He had six strikeouts, walked five and allowed five hits.

All four of Mesick’s runs came in the first inning.

Offensively for the ’Cats Hurst was 1-1, was walked three times and scored two runs; Orban was 1-3 with a double, Webster was 1-3 and Turner had a hit.

The Bobcats finished the Jack Pine Conference season in sixth place with a 5-9 record. Houghton Lake (8-14 overall) will travel to Forest Area today (Thursday) for a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.