MITCHELL — A complete-game shutout from Peyton Schroeder propelled Mitchell in Game 2 and capped off a doubleheader sweep of Pierre to open up the 2023 season.
Schroder scattered three hits over his seven innings of work, while picking up four strikeouts on 83 pitches, as Mitchell took down the Governors 5-0 in the finale of the doubleheader.
“I had no intention whatsoever of having a guy stay out there the whole time, but he just throws strikes,” Mitchell coach Luke Norden admitted after the game. “He’s a strike-throwing machine, so I just decided to let him go and he did a really good job.”
The Kernels got the offense going early in the second game, plating a trio of runs in the first inning and sending all nine batters to the plate. Pierre sent Lincoln Kienholz to the mound in relief in the second inning, and he tossed three no-hit innings with nine strikeouts.
Once he exited the game in the fifth the Kernels added to their lead on a two-run home run from Dylan Soulek.
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“I thought his at bats were really good,” Norden said of Soulek, who walked twice, scored another run and stole a base in addition to his home run during the second game.
Elsewhere for Mitchell, Carter Sibson picked up a hit and a run, while Hudson Haley did the same. Gavin Soukup knocked in a run on a first-inning hit-by-pitch and tallied a single.
Though Mitchell scored five runs, Pierre limited the Kernels to four hits. Mitchell manufactured offense through six walks and two hit-by-pitches.
Game 1: Mitchell 6, Pierre 4
MITCHELL — If five runs on four hits in Game 2 wasn’t proof enough that Mitchell can find ways to manufacture runs, the opening contest of the doubleheader sure was.
The Kernels worked seven walks and were hit by three pitches in the game, scratching across six runs despite being held to two hits. And despite just two hits, Norden said he was pleased with how his team performed at the plate in the opener.
“I thought we did a really good job with our at-bats,” Norden said. “We didn’t swing out of the strike zone.”
Peyton Mandel opened the scoring in the first inning, cashing in on a two-out, two-RBI single to center field. When Pierre answered in the top of the third to tie things at 2-2, Mitchell grabbed the lead right back in the home half of the inning when Lincoln Bates and Sibson crossed the plate.
Bates reached base in all four trips to the plate in the opener, picking up three walks, getting hit by a pitch and scoring twice.
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On the mound, Gavin Soukup picked up the win for Mitchell, hurling 3.1 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and four walks with two strikeouts. Mandel nailed down the save with two hitless innings, and Blake Brosz threw 1.2 innings, surrendering two runs.
“I was really happy with all of our pitchers (Monday),” Norden said.
Mitchell starts the season at 2-0 with the sweep and will take on Huron in a road doubleheader on Friday.
“I’ve probably coached 80-100 games against Pierre over 20 years, and I can probably count on one hand how many times we’ve swept them,” Norden said. “The first games in the season for us, to be able to go out and get a sweep, these guys have done a really good job preparing to play at the start of the season.”
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