Owls Swat Pesky Pirates, 8-5
Owls Prevails Despite Five Errors
By Mark Anderson
March 25, Reckling Park--Harrison Eldridge describes the ECU Pirates in one word—“scrappy.” Boy, is he ever right.
The Pirates had every right to roll over and play dead in this game. Craig Crow, the Rice starting pitcher, was on, allowing only 5 hits and stroking out 8 in 6 innings. After this performance today, Crow well may be the answer to what seems to be the trivia question, “Who is the Owls’ third starter?” Saturday was a day that seemed to be one that showed Craig Crow’s potential value to the Owls in the not-so-distant future.
The Owls offense took a while to wake up, but once it got going, there was no stopping it. In the fourth, Aaron Luna homered to make it 2-0. In the fifth, Brian Friday reached on a single and was sacrificed to second by Buchanan. Dodson hit behind the runner as he grounded out to second. Friday scored on an RBI single by Josh Rodriguez, who then stole second. Danny Lehmann drove in Rodriguez with a single, and Chad Lembeck doubled down the leftfield line, moving Lehmann to third. But the threat ended there when Joe Savery struck out to end the inning, but the Owls had the lead they would never relinquish at 3-0
The Owls would pad that lead in the sixth to 5-0 when Luna lead off with a double, followed by a walk to Henley and a bunt single byt Friday to load the bases. Buchanan’s single plated Luna and Henley. After Dodson struck out, Rodriguez walked, but the threat ended when Danny Lehmann grounded into a second to short to first to end the inning.
The Pirates tried to steal the game again for a second consecutive game when Witter lead off with a high fly that Dodson lost in the high blue sky for an error. Henderson, pinch-hitting, reached on catcher’s interference. Eldridge doubled down the right field line, scoring Witter, and bringing Henderson to third. After Batts, pinch-hitting for Tounsely, popped out, Ray grounded to second, bringing in Henderson. Wood followed with a double to left-enter, scoring Eldridge. All three runs off Bramhall in this inning were unearned because of Dodson’s error, but the Pirates had narrowed the gap to 5-3.
The Owls extended their lead to 8-3 in the bottom of the eighth with one out when Buchanan reached on a bunt single, and Dodson immediately atoned for his error in left by hitting a no doubt homer to left. After Rodriguez grounded out, Lehmann singled and Lembeck followed with a triple, driving in Lehmann. But Savery ended the inning with a fly ball to left that made the Owls lead look secure with a five run lead.
The Pirates came storming back to try and steal the game once more in the ninth off of Bobby Bell, who had gotten the last out of the eighth inning. He got the first out in the ninth when Mollenhauer flied out to left. But Jake Smith singled to left, and was safew at second on Brian Friday’s second error of the game. Hodges grounded to second, but moved the runners up to second and third. Eldridge’s single to left brought home Smith and Witter, making the score 8-5. Batts reached on a fielder’s choice, and Eldridge reached second on Friday’s second error of the inning. But Bobby Bell bore down and struck out Jamie Ray to end the ball game for the Owls.
The rubber game for this series will be tomorrow at noon when Joe Savery takes the hill for the Owls and Brody Taylor takes the hill for the Pirates. The weather is supposed to be fantastic. Lets hope that the Owls continue their timely hitting and take the series tomorrow.
By Mark Anderson
March 25, Reckling Park--Harrison Eldridge describes the ECU Pirates in one word—“scrappy.” Boy, is he ever right.
The Pirates had every right to roll over and play dead in this game. Craig Crow, the Rice starting pitcher, was on, allowing only 5 hits and stroking out 8 in 6 innings. After this performance today, Crow well may be the answer to what seems to be the trivia question, “Who is the Owls’ third starter?” Saturday was a day that seemed to be one that showed Craig Crow’s potential value to the Owls in the not-so-distant future.
The Owls offense took a while to wake up, but once it got going, there was no stopping it. In the fourth, Aaron Luna homered to make it 2-0. In the fifth, Brian Friday reached on a single and was sacrificed to second by Buchanan. Dodson hit behind the runner as he grounded out to second. Friday scored on an RBI single by Josh Rodriguez, who then stole second. Danny Lehmann drove in Rodriguez with a single, and Chad Lembeck doubled down the leftfield line, moving Lehmann to third. But the threat ended there when Joe Savery struck out to end the inning, but the Owls had the lead they would never relinquish at 3-0
The Owls would pad that lead in the sixth to 5-0 when Luna lead off with a double, followed by a walk to Henley and a bunt single byt Friday to load the bases. Buchanan’s single plated Luna and Henley. After Dodson struck out, Rodriguez walked, but the threat ended when Danny Lehmann grounded into a second to short to first to end the inning.
The Pirates tried to steal the game again for a second consecutive game when Witter lead off with a high fly that Dodson lost in the high blue sky for an error. Henderson, pinch-hitting, reached on catcher’s interference. Eldridge doubled down the right field line, scoring Witter, and bringing Henderson to third. After Batts, pinch-hitting for Tounsely, popped out, Ray grounded to second, bringing in Henderson. Wood followed with a double to left-enter, scoring Eldridge. All three runs off Bramhall in this inning were unearned because of Dodson’s error, but the Pirates had narrowed the gap to 5-3.
The Owls extended their lead to 8-3 in the bottom of the eighth with one out when Buchanan reached on a bunt single, and Dodson immediately atoned for his error in left by hitting a no doubt homer to left. After Rodriguez grounded out, Lehmann singled and Lembeck followed with a triple, driving in Lehmann. But Savery ended the inning with a fly ball to left that made the Owls lead look secure with a five run lead.
The Pirates came storming back to try and steal the game once more in the ninth off of Bobby Bell, who had gotten the last out of the eighth inning. He got the first out in the ninth when Mollenhauer flied out to left. But Jake Smith singled to left, and was safew at second on Brian Friday’s second error of the game. Hodges grounded to second, but moved the runners up to second and third. Eldridge’s single to left brought home Smith and Witter, making the score 8-5. Batts reached on a fielder’s choice, and Eldridge reached second on Friday’s second error of the inning. But Bobby Bell bore down and struck out Jamie Ray to end the ball game for the Owls.
The rubber game for this series will be tomorrow at noon when Joe Savery takes the hill for the Owls and Brody Taylor takes the hill for the Pirates. The weather is supposed to be fantastic. Lets hope that the Owls continue their timely hitting and take the series tomorrow.
posted by my kid's sports pics at 1:36 PM
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