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04.01.09
- After knocking off NAIA 9th-ranked
Spring Arbor University in three of four contests, the Foresters had a
defensive letdown committing a total of eight errors in 9-8 and 8-4
losses to the University of St. Francis.
In the opener, the Cougars scored
an unearned run in their first at-bat, but HU jumped in front with
three runs in the fourth thanks to two doubles, a single and two St.
Francis errors. But things fell apart in the fifth as the Cougars
crossed the plate seven times with five hits in the inning and a
Forester miscue to give St. Francis a comfortable 8-3 lead. HU
got two more in its half of the fifth, but gave one right back in
the top of the sixth for a 9-5 deficit.
In their final
at-bat, the Foresters came up with one last rally attempt. A
Jarod Hammel single and back-to-back walks to Cody Richey and Eric
Schultz loaded the bases. Hammel scored on a fielder's choice,
and following a flyout by Edwin Rodriguez, Andrew Drummond drilled a
two-out double to center to drive in Richey and Schultz. HU
was back within one at 9-8, but Cougar pitcher Chase Gaff got Travis
Frantz to ground out to the mound stranding the tying run at second.
Eric Randel went
four and two-thirds innings in the loss for the Foresters. He
allowed eight runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out
two. Drummond and Rodriguez both had two doubles in the game
to lead HU at the plate and Drummond finished with a team-high three
RBI.
In the nightcap,
things looked good for the Foresters early. In the bottom of the
first, they put together six hits that led to four runs, but they
would manage just one more hit over the remainder of the game. St.
Francis scattered 10 hits and eight runs over the final six innings
to slowly put HU away.
The Cougars tied
the score with a pair of runs in both the second and third innings
and took the lead for good with one in the fourth. They added
two more in the sixth and one in the seventh to take down the
Foresters 8-4.
Anthony Roth was
the pitcher of record for HU. He threw five innings in the
loss and gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks while
striking out two.
The two losses drop the Foresters to 12-11 on the season and 5-3 in the MCC. |
