Central Oregonian

Cowboys fall 6-4 to Storm

Crook County gives up early runs, Summit holds on for win

LON AUSTIN?CENTRAL OREGONIAN

Brandon Alexander came in as a relief pitcher and was able to shut the Summit batters down for the final four innings of the game. However, that wasn’t enough as the Cowboys lost 6-4.

Lon Austin

July 23, 2012

The Crook County Cowboy baseball team may be young and inexperienced, but they never give up.

“The kids just keep fighting,” said coach Frank Martinez. “We may be young and inexperienced, but we keep battling and we are getting better with each game.”

Wednesday afternoon, Crook?County faced the daunting task of playing one of the top teams in the state. The Cowboys entered the game with a 1-11 summer league record while Summit is coming off of a second-place finish at state this spring.

The Storm showed just how tough they can be early in the matchup, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, then adding two more in the second to take a 5-0 lead.

Jeffrey Turbitt doubled for the Cowboys to open the first inning, but was unable to score. Stetson Hall doubled in the bottom of the second inning for the Cowboys, then scored later in the inning when the Cowboys executed a perfect suicide squeeze play. Hall sprinted down the third base line just as the pitch was delivered and Zach Cole laid down a perfect bunt allowing Hall to easily score.

Summit responded with a run in the top of the third inning to run their lead to 6-1.

However, Crook County responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to make the score 6-4. Blake Quant and Trevor Slawter each singled in the inning, then were driven in by a Blain Johnson single. Johnson eventually advanced to third where he scored on the Cowboy’s second suicide squeeze play of the game — a bunt by Jeff Snyder.

Crook County relief pitcher, Brandon Alexander blanked Summit the remainder of the game.

“Alexander was able to completely shut them out once he came in,”?Martinez said.

Although the Cowboys were able to get base runners, they were unable to score in the fourth, fifth, or sixth innings. Then in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Cowboys staged one final rally. The team put a pair of runners on base with just one out. However, base running mistakes ended the game for the Cowboys as the Storm escaped with a 6-4 victory.

“We kind of froze in the seventh and just couldn’t come back,” Martinez said.