Crucial late-inning walks and a two-run homer by Griffin Moore were just two things which led to a defeat against the Lipscomb Bisons at Raymond C. Hand Park on Tuesday, March 11.
In the ninth inning with the score knotted up, the Govs walked Tyson Ashcraft, with a sacrifice bunt moving him over to second base. The next batter, Moore, drilled a ball barely inside the foul pole in right center field, which sparked an eight-run inning that propelled the Bisons over APSU, 14-6.
The Govs led 6-4 heading into the eighth inning, but saw the lead slip away with their closer Jared Carkuff on the mound. With the bases loaded and two outs, Lipscomb quickly tied the score as Garrett Massey doubled home two runs, and eventually walk away with a win that was closer than what the score indicated.
“We just didn’t get it done in the late innings,” APSU head coach Gary McClure said. “We were where we wanted to be with a two run lead and two outs, but we just didn’t get it done. They beat us.”
In the second inning after the Bisons put up two runs against APSU starting pitcher Mark Hendrick, the Govs answered the call. Dre Gleason led off the inning with a double, and P.J. Torres would bring him home with a sacrifice fly. Kevin Corey, who got the start at designated hitter, followed with a RBI single, tying the score at 2-2.
Lipscomb pushed across another two in the fourth, but this time, the Govs took advantage of their opponent’s mistakes to score four runs in the inning. The Bisons pitchers walked three-straight batters which led to a bases loaded walk. Corey continued to make the most of his opportunity to drive home another run, while Cayce Bredlau recorded his first RBI after beating out a slow infield chopper.
But it was all the offense the Govs would get to help the 10 pitchers that entered the game.
Conference play now awaits APSU as Eastern Illinois will travel to Clarksville for a weekend series on Friday, March 14 through Sunday, March 16.
After a 15-minute meeting with his team after Tuesday’s game, McClure stressed the need to work harder as big games are coming up on the schedule.
“They have to prepare themselves better,” McClure said. “I don’t think it’s a lack of effort. I think it’s they don’t understand how much you have to prepare yourselves day in and day out to be competitive at this level. It’s serious business. This isn’t summer ball or travel ball. This is for real.”
