April 19, 2010

Box Score

ADRIAN, Mich. - The baseball team could not extend their win streak going out of conference for the final time this season with a 9-6 loss to Otterbein. The Bulldogs (20-8) lost for the first time since April 1 and just could not get on track against the Cardinals, a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference (15-9).

Brian Hiscox hit his ninth home run of the season in the first inning to give Otterbein a 1-0 lead against Adrian starter Nick Sarkissian. The Cardinals added three runs in the second inning as Sarkissian was let down by his defense. Otterbein reached on back-to-back errors including a taylor-made double play ball that was booted with one out. Both runners would come around to score as John Quimby and Wes Meadows each had RBI singles for the Cardinals.

Otterbein built their lead to 6-0 with two runs in the fourth inning. Quimby had another RBI single and Brandon Gessner also had an infield RBI single. Sarkissian (1-2) exited the game after the fourth allowing nine hits and three earned runs (six total). He hit the strike zone allowing no walks and also struck out two throwing 44 of his 63 pitches for strikes.

Adrian got a run back in the bottom of the fourth as Alex Cowart doubled to right center and then took third on a fielding error by right fielder Gessner. Nate Sarkissian hit a sacrifice fly to deep left which scored Cowart from third to cut the lead to 6-1.

The Cardinals got the run back and then some as they scored twice in the top of the fifth. Jason Fryman allowed a two-run single to Clayton Clever with two outs. AC got another run in the sixth as Cody Meyer had a RBI single through the right side which scored Steve Vanderheyden who led off the inning by being hit by a pitch.

Otterbein scored once in the eighth as Gessner had a RBI single off Zach Robbins to make it 9-2. The Bulldogs mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth by scoring four runs. Cowart had a RBI single which scored Meyer from second for the first run of the inning. Vanderheyden had a two-out RBI single to right center which scored Bilius and advanced Sarkissian to third. Sarkissian scored on a wild pitch and Vanderheyden went to second to make it 9-5. Jake Cappelletty followed with a RBI single through the right side as Vanderheyden crossed the plate to cut the lead to 9-6. The Bulldogs could not get the tying run to the plate as Joe Dubina popped out to end the game.

Cappelletty went 3-for-5 with three singles to lead the offense. Cowart, Vanderheyden and Meyer each had two hits for the Bulldogs. Craig Steadman and Sean Hartman each had one inning of scoreless ball in relief for AC. The Bulldogs enter this weekend with a crucial four-game series against Hope. The team travels to Holland on Friday for a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader.