The Effingham Hearts’ struggles at the plate continued Friday afternoon.

The Hearts managed just three hits and were shutout for the third time in their last seven games, dropping a 5-0 decision to North Clay in Louisville.

Effingham opened the season with nine straight wins and were 10-1 at one time. During those 10 wins, the Hearts averaged 10 runs per game.

But it’s been a different story offensively since then.

EHS has dropped its last six games and has scored just 18 total runs over that span – and 13 of those came in one game.

The Hearts had just four base runners against North Clay – three singles and a hit batter. They were set down in order four times and had two runners reach base in the same inning just once. That was in the second when Jack Blickem singled and Dylan Cunningham was hit by a pitch. They also had base hits from Max Hardiek in the fourth and Christian Raddatz in the fifth.

The Cardinals score single tallies in the first and fifth and then tacked on three more in the sixth.

Kalen Reardon went the distance for the Hearts. He allowed eight hits and five runs, while walking one and striking out five. Carson Burkett got the win for North Clay. In seven innings of three-hit work, he didn’t walk a batter and struck out five while throwing just 75 pitches.

The Hearts dropped to 10-7 overall. They will return to Apollo Conference action today (Saturday) at Mt. Zion. They begin the day 3-1 in league play.