By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor

Alex Cliff's solo home run in the bottom of the second inning would be all the offensive production the Bearcats would need against the Charleston Blue Jays on Tuesday afternoon.

Starting pitcher Josh Overall didn't need much run support; the senior threw a complete game shutout, giving up just one hit, three walks, and two hit batsmen while striking out 11 batters (five looking) in the 8-0 victory.

The 'Cats started things off slow at the plate, but picked up as the game went on.

"We struggled a little bit at the plate at the beginning of the game. [Charleston's] pitcher didn't have a whole lot of velocity, and it took our guys a bit to adjust," head coach Brian Becker said. "Cliff made a good adjustment there and hit it out with a wood bat; that shows you how strong he is. He's a good hitter, a strong kid, and he drove the ball well."

The senior first baseman has broken out a wood bat a few other times in the season, opting to use it over the standard BBCOR metal bats to work on his technique at the plate due to the increased weight and difficulty of hitting with one.

"[Cliff] uses it to work on his swing," Becker added. "He's got the quickest bat on the team, but I think he wants to use that wood a little bit to get him focused more on getting the ball on the 'sweet' part of the bat. He definitely did that today."

The 'Cats tacked on five more runs in the third inning; after a leadoff walk to Brad Potts, Chase Young hit a deep single to left-center for an RBI. Cliff popped up to left field, but an error on Charleston's D.J. Adams allowed Young to cross the plate. D.J. Dowdy drove cliff in with a single to left, and Owen Flowers smacked a two RBI single to center to cap off the rally.

Potts hit a leadoff single in the fourth, and was driven in by Logan Northern. Potts came up with an RBI single in the fifth inning to score Cody Neldon and set the score at 8-0. The 'Cats couldn't manufacture a run in the sixth inning, but Overall's impressive performance at the mound made it an easy win for the Bearcats, who improve to 8-3 on the season.

The senior picked up his first win in his second start, and improved his ERA to 1.62 with the shutout.

"Josh did a great job; he had pretty good pop at times, and he did a great job of getting his breaking ball over," Becker said of his starter. "He went out there and did exactly what we needed him to do. Josh threw strikes and did a good job."

The Bearcats will be back in action on Thursday afternoon, when they travel to New Madrid for a showdown with the 4-1 Eagles.

"Coach [Joe] McClarty has them working hard down there. They are a much improved ball club over what they have been, and we'll have to go down there and play good baseball in order to beat them," Becker said. "I don't know that they've been beaten yet, but I know we'll have to show up ready to play."

Senior right-hander Owen Flowers (1-1, 2.90 ERA) will get the start in the 4:00 p.m. contest.

Photo Above: Josh Overall fires a pitch during his complete game shutout of the Charleston Blue Jays on Tuesday afternoon. The senior struck out 11 total batters (five looking) in the win.