With about three weeks left to go in the regular season the Keokuk Chiefs are trying to figure out who they are as a team. In their doubleheader against Washington at Joyce Park on Monday night they ended up dropping game one 8-1 and game two 17-0.

In game one Keokuk starting pitcher Micah Haage tossed a scoreless first inning. In the top of the second Haage ran into trouble. Washington scored two runs in the inning. Unfortunately, for KHS Washington also scored two runs in the third and four runs in the fourth inning to go up 8-0

The Chiefs were outhit 10-2 in the game. Washington had nine singles and one triple. The Chiefs had two hits which were both singles from Lincoln Wray and Kayvion Underwood. Underwood was 1-2 while Wray was 1-3.

KHS wasn’t able to figure out how to get the top of Washington’s lineup out. Ethan Peebler was 3-4 with a walk. Blayze Richardson drove in one of the eight runs for Washington with a single. Easton Rugg had three RBIS while Isaac Medano had two RBIs. Kyler Williams drove in the last run going 2-3 on the night.

Keokuk head coach Ryan Bell didn’t think Haage had his best stuff but knows that he’s one of the best pitchers the Chiefs have.

“He wasn’t as sharp as we would’ve liked him to be,” Bell said. “He’s been battling soreness but right now he’s our ace and we wanted to go with him. I had to keep him under 65 pitches because I wanted to bring him back for our game on Thursday.

KHS did have chances to score more than one run. They showed good eye discipline receiving six walks on the night. Memphis Anderson received three walks. Bryar Hayner received two, and Haage earned one. Unfortunately, the Chiefs didn’t put a crooked number up. Despite the six walks they received Bell still wants to see their team approach improve at the plate.

“Our approach at the plate has to be better,” he said. “We’re not hitting the ball well at all. I think if we figure out how to hit we’ll be fine. We talk about attacking the baseball and we haven’t done it. We’re midway through the season and we have to figure it out fast.”

The one run KHS did score came in the bottom of the fifth cutting the deficit to 8-1.

Haage pitched three innings allowing two hits, four runs, two earned, one walk, while recording one strikeout. Zach Gilpin relieved Haage. He was the best pitcher on the night going 1 1/3 innings earning two strikeouts. Bell was thrilled with what Gilpin was able to do.

“I’m happy with where he is at right now,” he said. “He had some arm issues at the beginning of the season but he’s definitely gaining confidence. He came into a game last week and did a really nice job for us as well.”

Evan Bierwirth finished for KHS pitching 2 2/3 innings giving up two hits, four runs, two walks, while striking out two.

In game two errors came back to bite the Chiefs. Washington scored 17 runs on 10 hits. The Demons scored one run in the first but Keokuk starter Hayner was able to limit the damage to just one run. The Chiefs recorded one hit which was a single by Wray. KHS couldn’t do anything with it.

In the top of the second, the wheels came off. Washington scored 16 runs in the inning. One of the problems KHS had besides the three errors were free passes. They walked eight compared to receiving one on the night. Washington’s Tyrese Wright was in the middle of it. He reached base in all four plate appearances recording one RBI. Richardson and Boden Brown had three RBIs apiece. Rugg, Mitchell Zieglowsky, and Peebler also had two RBIs apiece.

It looked like the Chiefs were going to get out of the jam but a mental error and a bad throw to second base prolonged the inning. Bell knows that mental mistakes can’t happen.

“That’s one of the things that we talk about a lot that can’t happen,” he said. “We have to scratch and claw for everything that we get. We can live with physical errors but we can’t have the mental ones.”

The mercy rule went into effect after three innings.

Hayner was relieved by Easton Droege who was unable to record an out. Gilpin came in to record the final out. Landen O’Shea pitched the final two innings.

Hayner pitched 1 2/3 innings allowing six hits, 13 runs, (11 earned), four walks and striking out one. Droege allowed one hit, four runs, and three walks. Gilpin earned one out allowing one hit. O’Shea pitched two innings giving up one hit, and one walk.

Anderson and Wray earned the two hits for KHS. The Chiefs drop to (1-11) on the season. Next, they travel to Fort Madison for a game at 7 p.m. on Thursday.