A pitchers’ duel exploded into a 5-0 ConVal victory Friday as ace Isaac Clough’s 15-strikeout domination shut out the Kennett bats.

  • ConVal’s Gus Hatmaker fields a ball at third. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • Newly returned ConVal head coach Mike Marschok takes in the pitchers’ duel. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • ConVal’s Gavin Niemela readies to hit. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • ConVal’s Marcus Jordan stands in at bat. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • ConVal’s Anthony Gutwein takes the pickoff throw at first as Kennett’s Serghio Espueza dives back in safely. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • ConVal’s Isaac Clough pitches during the Cougar baseball team’s 5-0 win over visiting Kennett in Peterborough on Friday, May 1, 2026. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • An ecstatic Henry Hartwell of ConVal heads home as the Cougars start piling on runs in the sixth inning. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

“He’s a workhorse,” ConVal head coach Mike Marschok said after the game. “What we know is when he pitches, we’ll be in the game.”

Kennett’s Serghio Espueza was every bit as good as Clough through the first five innings, striking out 11 and allowing one hit, one walk and no runs. 

“[Espueza] was throwing good offspeed,” ConVal catcher Henry Hartwell said. “Had a decent fastball, good velocity, flat, but we just couldn’t catch up to it.”

But while the Eagle starter ran out of gas by inning six, allowing five runs (three earned) in the final ConVal ups, the Cougar hurler revved it up. Clough (15K, 3H, 2BB) struck out two in the final frame to finish the complete game shutout with 15 strikeouts, three hits allowed and two walks.

“It was outstanding,” Hartwell said, “one of the best pitching outings I’ve seen in a while.”

Espueza had the Cougars stymied until the sixth inning, stranding a one-out runner on third in the second and otherwise allowing only a hit batsman with no advance. But then, a leadoff walk by Gus Hatmaker led to an RBI single from Evan Aho, an RBI bases-loaded walk by Cam Valentine and then a big two-run double off the bat of Marcus Jordan to blow things open.

“It was a quality win,” ConVal head coach Mike Marschok said. “Good team win, for sure … After a while, hitters are going to get to the pitcher. That’s kind of what happened today.”

The win over a quality Kennett (5-4) team was just what ConVal needed. Up until Friday, the Cougars (4-3) had yet to beat a team with a record over .500, with wins over Milford, Sanborn and Lebanon (combined 3-14).

“Every team, every game we play is a battle,” Marschok said, and we can’t take anybody lightly. We’re not in that position. We’re not in the top five teams. So we battle.”

That’s the approach that’s led to late-inning success for the Cougars, who’ve done most of their scoring this spring when it mattered most.

“It’s the mentality,” Hartwell said. “I think we usually keep our heads up, don’t get down on ourselves — just try to make plays.”

If this keeps up, ConVal should be gunning for a playoff berth, something they missed by mere percentage points last spring.

“That is really the goal,” Marschok said, make the playoffs, and we’re going in the right direction.”

ConVal was set to play Hanover (6-1) Monday evening and then play at Pelham (3-4) Wednesday.