BASEBALL

The #RV HU baseball team headed south for a three-game series with #RV University of the Cumberlands (12-3) over the weekend and came up short in all three contests to drop to 0-9 on the year.

The Foresters were on the prowl for a come-from-behind win in Friday’s opener as they plated two runs in the top of the seventh to surge ahead 4-3 when Jamar Weaver came up with a clutch single to right center to drive in runners on second and third.

HU’s at bat was packed with potential as they loaded up the bases after Weaver’s base poke but couldn’t get any more runs across home plate. It was the Patriots turn after that and unfortunately the wheels fell off for the visitors as they committed two costly blunders, in addition to giving up a hit and base on balls, that Cumberlands converted for a pair of unearned runs and the 5-4 win.

The hosts blasted two shots over the fence for three runs in the bottom of the second for the early 3-0 lead. Tyler Zimske got one back for the Foresters with his own long ball in the third and then HU closed to within one three frames later on Adrian Perez’s RBI-fielder’s choice for a 3-2 ball game which set the stage for seventh inning drama.

Mason Shinabery tossed the first six innings and gave up six hits, three runs and two walks while striking out nine for the no decision. Tarrin Beachy was tagged with the loss after relieving Shinabery in the seventh where he gave up a hit, both unearned runs and a walk.

Huntington finished with nine hits. Adam Roser collected three of those hits while Jake Hansen and Losekamp added two apiece.

Neither team mustered much offense in game two but it was the Patriots who made the most of their opportunities for a 4-2 W. Huntington struck first in the top of the third when Brandon Webster, pinch running for Losekamp who opened up the frame with a walk, advanced from first to third on a wild throw and then stole home for the 1-0 lead.

Cumberlands tapped into three of their six hits in their next at bat to climb on top 2-1. Perez knotted things up at 2-2 in the top of the sixth with a sacrifice fly but the Patriots, once again, immediately responded with another two runs, this time on two hits, in their half of the frame for a 4-2 advantage that stood.

Huntington managed just two hits, Donovan Clark and Weaver each registering one, in a game that saw Frame’s crew draw five walks and strike out 12 times.

DJ Moore was tagged with the loss. He spent the first five innings in the circle and gave up four hits, two runs and a walk while striking out three.

Saturday’s only game was a pitcher’s duel. Huntington’s Connor West went the distance and gave up just one hit. However, it was a big one. Daniel Diaz sent his fifth pitch over the left field fence in the bottom of the second to log the game’s only run for a 1-0 decision favoring the Patriots. In addition to giving up one hit and one run, West also handed out five walks while logging four Ks.

Huntington scattered three hits but couldn’t string anything together to make for their scoreless day. Frame’s crew left nine runners stranded to Cumberlands’ three on a day of error-free baseball by both teams.

The Foresters’ home opener, a doubleheader with Missouri Baptist University, is scheduled for Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.