By Brock Stafford | Beacon sports editor

Bass Lake High School’s baseball team suffered a 9-3 defeat Friday at the hands of Northern City-Southern Prairie.

BLHS senior pitcher Ace Hurler took the mound in a starting role to start the game, and the starter started strong. Through the first two innings, Hurler fanned four and stranded three base runners as the Canoes battled to a 1-1 tie.

Then came the third inning, wherein he faltered. Hurler squandered an 0-2 count against the lead-off batter, muffed a routine pop-fly, gave up a base-on-balls to a freshman, forgot how to participate in a run-down, botched a throw on a force-out at second, beaned at least one guy, sneezed once in mid-pitch, then sulked back to the clubhouse (otherwise known as the dugout) after middle-reliever Dice Brickston was summoned from the bullpen (otherwise known as right field).

By that point, the score was 7-1, not in favor of Bass Lake.

After the game, head coach Anthony Manager appeared puzzled about Hurler’s performance.

“Ace has been reliable most of the season,” Manager said. “That inning was his worst outing.”

A copy editor contributed to this report.