9/9, R1G1 Cougars 7, Burlington 12

The Cougars did not have the start to the playoffs that the envisioned when they left town yesterday morning. No instead it turned into an early nightmare, the were down 6-0 after two innings against the deffending champions the Burlington Bees.

Well the Cougars would come back and make it a respectible game out of it they only lost 12-7. A big five run seventh for them really helped inch them closer. Kenny Smalley had his worst outing of the year at the worst time of the year.

Kenny Smalley lasted only an inning and one third. He would give up seven hits and six runs. Not much went right for him, he would give up two homers and two doubles.

The first inning started with Patrick Norris getting a single to third. I thought that it should've been an error on Mike Spina. The throw was late, because he didn't put that much on it. Two outs later, Jason Taylor homer to left. The nightmare really got bad in the second inning when the Bees would score four runs. Jose Bonilla led it off with a homer to left. Jason Morales then singled to left. Ryan Wood doubled to left center to bring home Morales. Norris then singled to right to bring home Morales. Adrian Ortiz then doubled down the left field line to bring home Wood. The Cougars then mercifully made a pitching change, Josue Selenis would come in. He gave up a ground out to first which would score Norris from third.

The Cougars would score two runs in the fourth, all due to an error on the right fielder. Connor Crumbliss led off with a single to right. One out later, Steve Parker singled to right. One more out later, Jeremy Barfield flew one to right, the right fielder just plain old droped the ball. Crumbliss and Parker would score on the error.

Burlington answered those two runs by the Cougars in the top of the inning with three more of their own in the bottom half. With two outs and Selenis still on the mound, Oritz singled to center, then stole second. David Wood, struck out, but a wild pitch would allow him to get to first, and also allow Ortiz to get to third. Jason Taylor then made the Cougars pay for not getting out of the inning with a double to center to score both Ortiz and Wood. Shawn Griffin then singled off the right field wall to drive in Taylor.

More insurance runs for the Bees in the fifth and sixth when they would score one run each. In the fifth, Morales led off with a single to third. A bad throw by Spina would allow him to get all the way to third on the error. One out later, Yeldrys Molina walked. Norris would then hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Morales.

In the sixth inning a leadoff walk to Taylor helped them get another run. Two outs later, Morales singled to center to score Taylor. The final run came in the eighth inning for the Bees. Taylor led it off with a single to right. One out later, Bonilla reached on a fielder's choice, the ball was hit back to A.J. Huttenlocker who threw to second, and the Cougars tried for the doubleplay, but Bonilla beat the throw. Morales was then hit by a pitch and Ryan Wood walked to load the bases with two outs. Molina would single to right to score Bonilla, Barfield made a great throw to get Morales at the plate to end the inning.

The Cougars did score five runs in the seventh inning. Petey Paramore led it off with a single to right. Tyler Ladendorf then doubled down the left field line. Franklin Hernandez then doubled down the right field line to score both Paramore and Ladendorf. He would get to third on a passes ball. Dusty Napoleon would pitch hit for Nino Leyja and walk. One out later, Leonardo Gil tripled to center to score Ladendorf, Hernandez and Leyja. The Bees then made a pitching change, one out later, Spina singled down the left field line to score Hernandez.

The Cougars did have some more chances throughout the game to score some runs. In the second inning, Spina ledoff with a walk, a strikeout and a double play later the inning was over. In the sixth inning withone out, Gil singled down the right field line and Parker would be hit by a pitch. The Cougars would not advance then anymore than that for the inning. In the eighth inning Paramore walked. Ladendorf then singled up the middle. Hernandez hit into a double play.

In the ninth inning the Cougars would have the bases loaded and one out and score nobody. With one out, Gil walked. Parker then singled to center and Spina walked. Barfield hit into a game ending double play.

Tomorrow vs Burlington @6:30
Tim Melville (6-7, 4.00), vs Murphy Smith (1-2, 4.94)

Tomorrow's game is a win or go home game, if they don't win it will be a long 210 days till next April