Usher tosses gem, leads Cougars past Commodores

By Jeff Oliver

MVI Sports

If Charleroi is going to have any success in baseball this season, it will depend heavily on the right arm of ace Zach Usher.

If Friday’s season opener against non-section foe Frazier is any indication, the Cougars may indeed have a shot for a good season.

Usher pitched five shutout innings at chilly Vets Field, allowing two hits with nine strikeouts and no walks as Charleroi beat Frazier, 8-4.

Usher hit Frazier leadoff hitter Aiden Shetterly to start the game and then proceeded to strike out the next six batters he faced.

Usher also struck out the side in the fourth inning and was touched up for two harmless singles in his debut.

“Zach is usually in control and he did what we expect him to do today,” said Charleroi coach Luke Mollis. “He was on. He controlled their hitters and didn’t walk anybody. He pitched a good game.”

Frazier coach John Malone was also impressed with Usher, saying, “He’s their No. 1 and he pitched that way for them. He’s tough and he was impressive.”

Meanwhile, Frazier starter Chase Hazelbaker wasn’t as fortunate. He also pitched five innings and left trailing 7-0, but most of it was not of his doing.

Hazelbaker gave up just five hits with three strikeouts and two walks. However, his defense committed six errors behind him.

“Chase pitched his butt off, but our defense let him down. He didn’t get much support,” Malone said. “You fall behind 8-0 like we did and it makes it tough. We made a lot of mistakes, but we’re young. Hopefully, we will learn.

“I think this game was much closer than the final score indicates. They didn’t beat us up, we helped them a lot.”

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