Published: March 12, 2008 01:59 pm            

Coyotes drop first game of double header to Eastfield

Designated Hitter Clay Childress delivered a two-out, two-run single to give the Eastfield College Harvesters a 6-1 lead in the top of the seventh inning en route to a Game 1 win over the Weatherford College Coyotes at Roger Williams Ballpark on the campus of Weatherford College Monday afternoon.

The Harvesters entered the top of the seventh with a three-run lead and looked to add to their total after Carsen Hargis was hit by a pitch to open the inning. Hargis was thrown out, attempting to steal, one batter later and Eric Hill lined out to shortstop for the second out of the inning. Eastfield College extended the inning when Travis Graves singled to bring Buddy Elmore to the plate. Elmore fell behind in the count 0-2 before he was hit by a pitch from Blake Bradbury to put runners at first and second. Craig Guerrero followed the hit-by-pitch with a four-pitch walk to load the bases for Childress. Childress lofted a bloop single into shallow right field, scoring two runs, making the score 6-1.

Weatherford College still had the bottom half of the inning to fight its way back into the game, but after a leadoff walk to Brett Kazmierski, the next two Coyotes were sent back to the dugout after a groundout to the pitcher and a flyout to left field. Blake Yazel pinch-hit for Matt Elliott and drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Heath Baker stepped to the plate with a chance to drive in a run and keep the hope of a Coyotes comeback alive, but that hope ended four pitches later when he grounded to Harvesters second baseman Hill, who beat Yazel to second for the third out of the inning.

Weatherford College took the first lead of the game in the second inning when Kazmierski hit a two-out triple to right-center field. Kazmierski scored two pitches later when Damon Owen singled to make the score 1-0. The inning ended one batter later when Jeff Taliaferro flied out to second.

Eastfield College responded in the top of the third inning with three runs after an error with the bases loaded led to three unearned runs for Coyotes pitcher Hugh Sullivan. Sullivan recorded the first two outs of the inning after just four pitches, but ran into trouble with a hit-by-pitch and a four-pitch walk. Graves singled to load the bases and Elmore reached on an error, which led to the first of three runs in the inning. Guerrero singled to add two more runs to give the Harvesters a 3-1 lead. Sullivan got out of the inning one batter later with a groundout to first base.

Weatherford College was held scoreless over the next two innings and Eastfield College added a fourth run in the top of the fifth inning when Graves lifted a solo home run over the wall in right.

Sullivan lasted four-plus innings on the mound for the Coyotes before giving way to Khris Tate in the fifth and Bradbury in the seventh. Harvesters starting pitcher Jonathan Reeder attempted to last the entire seven innings of the contest, but after a walk to the leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh, he was replaced by Hunter Lankford who completed the final frame.

Weatherford College was led on offense by Kazmierski, who tripled, walked and scored a run. Eastfield College was led by Graves, who finished 3-for-4 in the game with a home run, two singles, an RBI and three runs scored.

Results of Monday’s second game were unavailable at press time.



Eastfield College 6, Weatherford College 1 (Game 1)

Eastfield 003 010 2 — 6 6 0

Weatherford 010  000 0 — 1 4 1



Jonathan Reeder, Hunter Lankford (7) and Travis Graves; Hugh Sullivan, Khris Tate (5), Blake Bradbury (7) and Jeff Taliaferro. WP – Reeder. LP – Sullivan. HR – (EC) Graves; (WC) none. 3B – (EC) none; (WC) Brett Kazmierski. 2B – (EC) Buddy Elmore; (WC) Taliaferro. CS – (EC) Carsen Hargis; (WC) none.

        

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