by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Eastfield Community College managed just one hit Sunday but it was enough for a 3-2 rain-shortened win over Kansas City Kansas Community College in Fort Worth, Texas.
Rain stopped the contest in the bottom of the fifth inning, leaving KCKCC with a four-game split in the Blue Devils’ annual spring trip and a 2-3 record heading into home doubleheaders with Northeast Nebraska Saturday and Sunday. Both twin bills will start at noon.
Sunday’s loss was something of a microcosm of what was scheduled to be a five-game Texas series – stingy pitching but too many bases on balls and fielding miscues. Eastfield scored all three of its runs in the first inning.
After back-to-back walks started the inning, Eastfield scored one run on a wild pitch, another on a two-out single and the third on a two-base outfield error. Orlando Ortiz took the loss, striking out six and walking six in four innings.
In 27 innings in Texas, KCKCC pitchers allowed just 13 hits. However, they also gave up 20 walks and hit five batters while the defense was guilty of nine errors.
“Our pitchers have thrown the ball pretty well but they need to be more consistent in throwing strikes,” KCKCC coach Matt Goldbeck said. “And we need to make plays for them.”
Both KCKCC runs were also unearned. The Blue Devils took a 1-0 lead in the first when Josh Schumacher reached on an error and scored on Corey Combs’ one-out ground ball.
Schumacher again reached first on an error in the third, moved up on Brigham Mooney’s bunt single and scored on Tyler Pittman’s sacrifice fly. KCKCC managed only two other hits, singles by Pittman and Kevin Santiago although the Blue Devils had runners on in every inning.
Ironically, the game was started 15 minutes early because of the threat of rain. Had it started on time, it would not have been a complete game and KCKCC charged with a loss.
“The perfect storm (for Eastfield),” Goldbeck said. “But then we only scored one run in the first inning after the first two runners reached base and then dropped a fly ball with two out in the bottom of the inning to let them score the third run.”