April 8, 2008

Final Stats

MEMPHIS--The Christian Brothers University Bucs left 13 runners on base and squandered a 5-0 lead as they lost 13-12 to Mid-Continent Tuesday afternoon at Buc Field despite pounding out 18 hits.

The Bucs (14-20) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning as they batted around, sending 11 men to the plate as the first five batters reached safely. In an omen of things to come, the Bucs left the bases loaded in the inning.

The Cougars (9-30) began to cut into the lead in the fourth with three runs, scoring two on a Patrick Barber double and a third on an error. The Bucs answered with two more in the bottom of the inning to stretch the lead back to 7-3 after RBI singles by Will Britt (Oxford, Miss./Oxford HS) and Alvino Ramirez (Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial HS)

Two innings later, history repeated itself as the Cougars scored three runs in the top of the sixth, scoring two on a Sam Cheng double and a third when Cheng came home on a passed ball. In the bottom of the inning, a two-run single from Ramirez put the Bucs in front 9-6.

The Cougars would score three runs in each of the next two innings as well to take the lead. They pushed across three two-out runs in the seventh as Daniel Williams hit a two-run single and scored on a Lance Davis double, tying the game at 9-9. They took the lead with three unearned runs in the eighth, scoring the go-ahead run on a Sean Aldrich single. They tacked on two more as Dustin Kennon hit a two-run homer to center.

The Bucs pulled back within a run in the bottom of the inning. Britt and Rocky Escajadillo (Cordova, Tenn./Cordova HS) singled back-to-back to start the bottom of the eighth. Two straight wild pitches scored Britt, and Escajadillo came home on a sacrifice fly, cutting the lead to 12-11.

The Cougars scored what proved to be a critical insurance run in the top of the ninth inning. Williams singled to start the inning. He moved to third on a pair of groundouts and scored on a Jeff Shidal double to left.

The Bucs loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. They scored a run on an Escajadillo sacrifice fly, but they left two runners on base and lost the game 13-12.

Ramirez finished 4-for-6 with four RBI. Britt and Josh Shelton (Rosemark, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) had three hits each, while Joseph Kaminski (Sherwood, Ark./Little Rock Catholic HS) and Escajadillo each added a pair of hits.

Weather permitting, the Bucs will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as they visit Bethel at 2 p.m. The Bucs travel to Magnolia, Ark., this weekend for a GSC series at No. 2 Southern Arkansas.