By the time the Emporia AAAs’ bats woke up Friday, it was about time to turn out the lights at Soden’s Grove.
Emporia managed three runs in the final inning, but it wasn’t enough, as Salina took a 6-3 victory on the first day of the Mike’s Classic.
“It was nice to get a rally and get some runs on the board, but it came way too late in the ballgame,” Emporia third baseman Michael Knight said. “We need to piece something like that together early to get our momentum going.”
Unfortunately for the AAAs, they couldn’t get much of anything going in the first four innings against Salina left-hander Evan Freeman.
Emporia managed just one hit through the first four innings and also had a hard time even making contact.
The AAAs struck out nine times in the first four innings and also put just three balls in fair territory: a popup from Zach Gifford in the first, a single from Taylor Clark in the first and a sacrifice bunt from Knight in the third.
“It’s hard to do a lot of things when you don’t put the ball in play,” Emporia coach Aaron Lechien said. “A lot of it was that the pitcher was pretty good. Good pitching is always going to beat good hitting. That’s just the way it goes.”
Freeman still gave Emporia some opportunities to score, issuing six walks and also hitting a batter.
The AAAs failed to take advantage, leaving the bases loaded in both the second and third innings.
“We had a few chances early,” Knight said. “If we execute, make the plays and get a few runs in with less than two outs, we’re right in that game.”
Trailing 6-0, Emporia finally made its move after Freeman was taken out in the bottom of the fifth.
Jared Krause started with an infield single, and after a fielder’s choice, Knight socked an RBI double to the wall in right-center.
Cameron Smith contributed a single to left to score Knight, and Dylan Smith walked before Salina pulled Curt Compognone in favor of Wyatt Hall.
Harrison Stone followed with a high fly to left that fell between two fielders for a single to load the bases, and James Sparks worked a five-pitch walk to make it 6-3.
“We showed a lot of fight coming back there in the last inning,” Lechien said. “I saw a lot of good things.”
Emporia’s hopes, however, faded away in the span of three pitches.
With a 3-1 count, Brandon Little took a borderline pitch that was called strike two.
After a foul ball, Hall turned and fired to second, picking Stone off second base for the second out.
On the next pitch, Little grounded out to third to end the time-limit-shortened game.
“They made a big play when they needed it,” Lechien said, “and that was that.”
Cameron Smith took the loss, allowing six runs in four-plus innings. Only two of those runs were earned.
Emporia will continue play in the Mike’s Classic today, taking on Ottawa at 3:45 p.m. and the Kansas Senators at 8:15.
Mike’s Classic
Friday at Soden’s Grove
Salina 6, Emporia AAAs 3
Salina 300 12X X — 6 10 0
Emporia AAAs 000 03X X — 3 4 2
W — Evan Freeman. L — Cameron Smith. Sv —Wyatt Hall.
2B — Salina: A.J. Farmer 2, Tanner Vinson, Brett Callahan; Emporia: Michael Knight. SB — Salina: Wyatt Hall; Emporia: Taylor Clark. Emporia AAA highlights — Michael Knight 1-2, sac, RBI, R; Taylor Clark 1-2, SB, BB, R; Cameron Smith 1-3, RBI, run; Harrison Stone 1-2, HBP.
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emporiahelper (anonymous) says...
Wow, our baseball program has gone down hill. Someone needs to step up and make a better program
July 14, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )