Gold Stuck
By Jesse Newell
Originally published 02:47 p.m., July 7, 2008
Updated 02:47 p.m., July 7, 2008
Baserunners weren’t a problem for the Emporia Golds in their second game against Junction City on Sunday.
Getting those runners in, however, turned out to be quite a struggle.
Emporia couldn’t come up with the clutch hits it needed, stranding 13 runners in a 13-6 loss to Junction City at Soden’s Grove.
“When we’ve got people on base, we’ve got to find a way to hit the ball and score runs,” Emporia’s Jase Hubert said. “We can’t leave people hanging on base.”
The Gold squad also had troubles scoring in the first game, losing 12-0 in three innings.
In Game Two, Junction City held Emporia scoreless through the first three innings, but that didn’t mean the Gold squad didn’t have its opportunities.
Emporia left two runners on base in the first, then left the bases full in both the second and third.
The biggest disappointment came in the second with the Golds trailing 1-0.
After a Dustin Lingenfelter walk and singles from Ryan Huth and Justin Wilson, Emporia had the bases loaded with no one out.
Junction City pitcher Zach Seifert struck out the next two batters, then was able to get a groundout to second to keep Emporia scoreless.
“That’s a big situation. You’ve got to get people in,” Hubert said. “That could have changed the whole entire game if we get ahead in that inning.”
After falling behind 6-0, the Golds offense finally broke through in the fourth, scoring five runs to pull within one.
Wilson started with a walk, and after a balk, Hubert contributed an RBI single.
Following a strikeout, James Rodriguez and Matt Weatherred posted back-to-back hits to make it 6-2.
With two outs, Chase Speer and Josh Lambert walked, then Lingenfelter poked a run-scoring single to left.
Huth worked a bases-loaded walk before a strikeout ended the inning.
“We did a great job of taking pitches that we shouldn’t be swinging at,” Emporia Gold coach Jerry Cook said. “When you do that, it creates a good hitting atmosphere where you can get a pitch you can hit.”
Junction City didn’t waste any time rebuilding its lead, coming up with seven runs in the next half-inning.
The Hawks offense was given plenty of help, as Emporia pitchers walked six batters and hit another in the fifth.
Cook was left with few options late because of his team’s limited number of pitchers.
“That’s tough. We throw everybody we can. When they walk guys, we have to throw somebody else,” Cook said. “You can’t walk guys. Walking just kills a team.”
Hubert helped the Golds to their only other run in the sixth, leading off with a single and later scoring on a two-out error.
The Golds offense was led by Hubert, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Emporia stranded all 13 of its runners in the first five innings.
The lack of pitching depth also caused problems in Game One, as Junction City scored 12 runs on just six hits.
Gold pitchers walked eight batters and hit another four in the three-inning contest.
“We came out kind of lackadaisical,” Cook said. “We really didn’t wake up that game.”
Because of the shortened game, Emporia wasn’t even able to make it twice through its lineup.
The team still managed three hits — with those coming from Lingenfelter, Rodriguez and Weatherred.
The Gold squad also dropped a pair of home games on Saturday, losing 12-1 and 11-3 to K.C. Post 199.
Sunday at Soden’s Grove
Game One
Junction City 12, Emporia Golds 0
Junction City 714 XXX X — 12 6 2
Emporia Golds 000 XXX X — 0 3 2
W — Bradley Dill. L — Josh Lambert.
2B — JC: Sam Ervin. SB — JC: Dill, Braden Gallentine, Conner Gallentine, Ervin, Mick Coleman 2. Emporia Gold highlights — Dustin Lingenfelter 1-1; James Rodriguez 1-2; Matt Weatherred 1-2.
Game Two
Junction City 13, Emporia Golds 6
Junction City 013 270 0 — 13 10 2
Emporia Golds 000 510 0 — 6 7 6
W — Mick Coleman. L — Jase Hubert.
2B — JC: Blake Morgan, Corey Burch. SB — JC: Bradley Dill, Nathen Kozlowski, Denny Gabbard; Emporia: Dustin Lingenfelter. Emporia Gold highlights — Jase Hubert 2-4, RBI, 2 R; Dustin Lingenfelter 1-2, 2 BB, SB, RBI; Justin Wilson 1-2, BB, R; James Rodriguez 1-3, R; Ryan Huth 1-3, RBI.