BELLVILLE --- The Shelby Whippets held off Clear Fork 4-3 to remain tied at the top of the MOAC with Ontario.

 

The Whippets (19-2) struck first in the top of the first on a solo home run by Marek Albert making it 1-0 and that score would hold up for a few innings thanks to a pitcher's duel between Whippets Starter Marshall Shepherd and Colts starter Jared Scott.

 

Shelby then added another on in the fifth when Alex Bruskotter singled to lead off the inning and after small-ball moved him to third, he scored on a Blaine Bowman RBI single making it 2-0.

 

Clear Fork (9-12) would finally get on the board in the fifth when Kaden Riddle doubled with one out and scored on a fielding error to cut the lead to 2-1. They then tied things up in the sixth when Kaleb Hollar walked to lead off the inning then took second and third on wild pitches before scoring on a Dave Ballinger RBI single.

 

Shelby retook the lead in the top of the seventh loading the bases with two out when Luke Shepherd sent a single up the middle scoring two for a 4-2 advantage.

 

he Colts again answered in the bottom of the second with runners on first and second with one out, Scott sent an RBI double to left cutting the lead to 4-3 with the tying run 90 feet away, but Shepherd shut things down getting a strikeout and fly out to end the game.