Baseball News

Team Gold evens series with 8-2 win

Team Gold scored five runs in the first three innings en route to an 8-2 win over Team Black to even the series at one win apiece Sunday, Oct. 25 at Gary Wright Field, in Danville, Ky.

For the second straight game, Team Gold scored in their first at bat. With one out sophomore Jacob Plummer (Cattletsburg, Ky.) and junior Steven Proctor (Springfield, Ga.) each singled to put runners on first and third. A run-scoring groundout by sophomore Cameron Fishman (Northridge, Calif.) gave Team Gold an early 1-0 lead.

Team Black answered in the home half of the first as freshman Aaron Ammann (Winnetka, Calif.) singled to open the inning. An errant throw on a pick-off allowed Ammann to go to third base. Freshman Danny Freudiger (Mason, Ohio) then grounded out to shortstop scoring Ammann to tie the game at one apiece.

In the top of the second sophomore Nate Lambert (Cincinnati, Ohio) was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Lambert then stole second base and third base and then scored on a ground out from senior Aaron Herbert (Louisville, Ky.) to give Team Gold a 2-1 lead.

After Team Black stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Team Gold added to its lead in the third. Three walks within the first four batters loaded the bases with one out. Senior Steven Kull (Frankfort, Ky.) singled to drive in the first of three runs in the innings. The second run of the inning scored when a throw home on a ground ball went wide and the bases remained loaded with one out. Senior Justin Basham (Bowling Green, Ky.) then singled home another run and Team Gold led 5-1 after three innings.

Kull later led off the fifth with a walk and scored on a Basham double and Team Gold extended its lead to 6-1, but Team Black threatened in the bottom of the inning. After the first three hitters walked to lead-off the inning, junior Cory Crowdis (Louisville, Ky.) doubled to right center scoring Ammann. A second run was thrown out at the plate and the score was 6-2.

An intentional walk re-loaded the bases, but freshman Mike Conley (Flatgap, Ky.) pitched his way out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout to keep the lead at 6-2.

Team Gold added two more runs in the sixth, scoring one on an error and another on a sacrifice fly from Lambert for the final 8-2 tally.

Sophomore Ben Lause (Mason, Ohio) earned the win for Team Gold tossing four innings of three-hit baseball. Lause allowed an unearned run and struck out three while walking one. Conley earned the save with three scoreless innings. The freshman gave up three hits, walked one and struck out two to finish the game for Team Gold. Sophomore Brian Bascom (Cincinnati, Oio) took the loss for Team Black throwing four innings and allowing five runs - four unearned - on four hits and four walks. Bascom also struck out six in the defeat.

Proctor and Basham finished with two hits each with Basham driving in two runs and Proctor scoring one. Fishman also drove in two runs and scored two while Plummer also scored two runs for Team Gold.

Ammann was the lone player on Team Black to finish with mutiple hits. Ammann had two hits and scored two runs in the defeat.

Due to an unfavorable weather forecast for Tuesday, both team will be back in action Monday, Oct. 26 to break the series tie. Crowdis is set to pitch for Team Black, while Team Gold will go with Lambert. Start time is set for 4:45 p.m. at Gary Wright Field in Danville, Ky.