Errors doom Emporia AAAs in 10-5 loss to Rogers, Ark.
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Saturday, July 5, 2008
The Emporia AAAs took a late lead but couldn’t hold it, as Rogers (Ark.) rallied to take a 10-5 victory on Friday at the Glen Winget Memorial Tournament in Bartlesville, Okla.
Emporia, the home team, grabbed an early advantage with a three-run first.
Zach Gifford started the inning with a single, and after Jared Krause reached on an error, Taylor Clark walked to load the bases.
Dylan Smith followed with a two-run single up the middle, and Cameron Smith later added an RBI single to score Clark.
Rogers scored four in the second before Emporia regained the lead in the fourth.
Harrison Stone started with a single, and Brandon Little followed with an RBI double.
Gifford’s run-scoring hit gave the AAAs a 5-4 lead.
The advantage would only last an inning, as Rogers came up with six runs in the fifth to take control.
“We just made timely errors hat led to a big inning,” Emporia coach Aaron Lechien said. “It’s hard to get around stuff like that unless you can bang out hit after hit. Errors are going to happen, but timing is what’s hurting us right now.”
Cameron Smith took the loss for Emporia.
Emporia had another close call on Thursday, losing 6-5 to Joplin (Mo.).
The AAAs scored all their runs in the sixth. Gifford doubled, then Krause singled and Clark walked to fill the bases.
Michael Knight came through with a two-run double, and Cameron Smith followed with a two-RBI single.
Dylan Smith drove in the final run with a hit, as Emporia tied the score at 5.
The AAAs had a chance to take the lead in the seventh, putting runners on second and third with one out before failing to push a runner across.
Joplin won the game with a walkoff single in the bottom of the seventh.
Emporia will face Rogers County (Okla.) in its final game of pool play at 6 tonight.
Bracket play begins on Sunday.