The Black Hills baseball team couldn’t find an answer at the plate in Shelton on Monday, when the Wolves were shut out in a 5-0 loss.
The Wolves managed to collect five hits as a team, but they couldn’t bring anyone around, instead stranding four runners in scoring position.
Asher Strauss and Brody Rice both hit extra-base hits, notching a triple and a double, and Strauss also hit a single to finish as the only Black Hills hitter with multiple hits.
Lincoln Brannin and Landon Echols also both notched a hit.
Elijah Simpson allowed just two hits and three runs in four innings of work, but all three runs were unearned. Echols added two scoreless innings of relief.
Shelton scored its first run in the opening frame before adding two in the third and another pair in the seventh, and Daniel Crossan struck out 12 without issuing a walk on the mound.
The Black Hills loss combined with a Centralia win leaves the Wolves one game back of the Tigers for the EvCo’s last postseason spot, but Black Hills could still leapfrog Centralia with a win in the two team’s final meeting on Thursday in Black Hills.
Before then, though, the Wolves (3-14, 1-12 2A EvCo) will head to Shelton to face the Highclimbers again on Tuesday.
