Shupe throws one-hitter in Norwalk win

CLYDE — Wesley Shupe's week started Monday with a solid outing against Huron. But the Norwalk High School junior pitcher had a no-decision after allowing two runs (one earned) in five innings in a 3-2 loss to visiting Huron. But on Friday, Shupe and the Truckers took nothing less than a dominant win in Friday's 8-0 SBC Lake Division win at Clyde. Shupe threw a complete-game shutout and allowed just a bunt single in the third inning for the Truckers. He struck out seven and walked one batter and needed just 77 pitches, 50 of which were strikes. Shupe also threw 14 first-pitch strikes to the 22 batters he faced for the Truckers (4-2, 2-0). "My slider, curve and any pitch we called — I was really feeling it," Shupe said. "Everything felt on today and I just let it flow, and it worked. "I got locked in, trusted my coaches and Kevin (Howard) behind the plate and executed the pitches they called to the best of my ability, and it ended up working out really well." Norwalk head coach Jason Higgins agreed with his pitcher's assessment. "Wes was throwing three pitches for strikes and Coach (Chris) Jackson called a great game," Higgins said. "And he told me it was easy when your pitcher is throwing three different pitches for strikes and is confident with all of them. He hit his spots and mixed up speeds really well, and the fastball had some zip to it." Offensively, Norwalk scored one run each in the top of the third and fourth innings before breaking out with five in the top of the fifth. In the third, Isaiah Wells and Carter Harp had back-to-back singles, and both moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Avery Scheel then hit a 2-1 pitch to left for an RBI single and a 1-0 lead. Kaedyn Warner and Caiden Wilson had back-to-back singles with one out in the fourth. Warner then stole home with two outs in the frame to make it 2-0. In the fifth, Shupe and Kevin Howard walked, then Landon Ferkel singled to load the bases with one out. Noah Helton then drew a walk to force in a run, then Howard scored from third on a wild pitch to push the lead to 4-0. Warner followed with an RBI single to make it 5-0, then Wells drove in Warner and Helton on a two-run single to extend the lead to 7-0. The Truckers closed out the scoring with a run in the top of the sixth as Ferkel hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored Scheel, who led off the inning with a walk. Norwalk will host Marion Harding to cap five games in six days at 11 a.m. Saturday. "These guys are believing and are very coachable right now," Higgins said. "We've had the discussion, do things our way and execute, we'll be in games and come out on top in a lot of these close games. "That hurt a little bit against a good Huron team when we played well and fell short," he added. "But these guys came right back and are doing what the program asks them to do. I'm proud of these guys today." Higgins credited a great approach at the plate in the big fifth inning. "And these guys executed," he said. "The ball is coming hard off the bats, and that's a really good sign at this point of the season." Norwalk 001 151 0 — 8 11 2Clyde 000 000 0 — 0 0 3WP: Shupe; LP: Flores