Broken Arrow Ledger 03/06/07 By: Kevin Henry - Errors costly; Tigers lose in eighth, 4-3

Errors costly; Tigers lose in eighth, 4-3
By: Kevin Henry
03/06/2007

BROKEN ARROW - There are only so many bullets you can dodge when you're
playing the Union Redskins.

Broken Arrow pitchers Lance Rymel and Nate Pettus worked their way out of two
jams, but five Tiger errors, including a seventh-inning miscue that allowed the
game-tying run to score in the seventh inning, doomed the host Tigers to a 4-3
eight-inning loss Tuesday afternoon.

"We had a chance to win the game, but we have to get better on defense," said
Tiger skipper Shannon Dobson. "We only allowed one earned run (the
game-winner in the eighth), so that's disappointing."

Union got on the scoreboard first, jumping on Broken Arrow starter Rymel for two
runs in the second inning.

Union's Ryan Engrav led off the inning with a walk and came home when Nick
Farnsworth's grounder up the middle went off the glove of Tiger shortstop Nate
Pettus.

Two batters later, Eric Walker's single to left plated Houston Slemp, giving Union
a 2-0 lead.

The Union damage in the second could have been worse, however, as the
Redskins left the bases loaded. Rymel's 2-2 pitch induced Drew Rucinski into a
fly out to deep left, ending the threat.

Broken Arrow answered in the bottom of the frame, parlaying two Union errors
into a run. Pettus drew a one-out walk then went to third when a grounder
slipped past Union shortstop Davis Duren.

Justin Rackleff brought Pettus home with a groundout to first base, slicing the
Redskin lead to 2-1.

The Tigers gained the lead in the bottom of the third, thanks to four hits.
Marcus Terry started the hit parade with a one-out double down the left-field line.

John Swyden followed with a single and, one out later, Ky Burgess drove home
Terry with a single to left.

Pettus followed with a single to left, plating Swyden and giving the hosts a 3-2
edge.

Rymel pitched out of a huge jam in the fifth.

After a walk and two errors loaded the bases with no outs, the junior
right-hander struck out Slemp and Nick Farnsworth, then got Chase Webb to
ground out to third base to end the inning.

"Our pitchers got out of a couple of jams," Dobson said. "Lance went the farthest
he's gone this season and pitched very well to get out of the fifth."

Union tied the game in the top of the seventh.

Duren Davis led off the inning with an infield single, then Engrav followed with a
monster blast to deep center that glanced off Swyden's glove.

Davis scored all the way from first, knotting the game.

Broken Arrow looked to have a chance to break the tie in the bottom of the
inning, but two nice defensive plays - including a highlight reel stop by Davis - by
Union killed the Tigers' chances of ending the game in regulation.

Union scored the winning run in the eighth, when Rucinski hit a one-out double
and Davis followed with a single to left.

Game Notes

* Union's Duren Davis turned in the nicest defensive play of the night,
smothering what looked to be a leadoff single up the middle for Marcus Terry in
the seventh and throwing him out at first base.

* Broken Arrow had four hits in the third inning, but struggled at the plate the
rest of the game, notching just four other hits in seven innings.

* Tiger miscues gave Union plenty of baserunners, but the Redskins couldn't
take advantage. Union left 13 men on base, while Broken Arrow stranded just six.

UNION 4, BROKEN ARROW 3
(8 innings)

Union 020 000 11-4 9 2
B-A 012 000 00-3 8 5
Harness, Spirlock (7) and Walker; Rymel, Pettus (7) and Burgess.
W - Spirlock. L - Pettus.

©Neighbor Newspapers 2007