Carp Sharp in Loss to Wazzou
3/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Carp Sharp in Loss to Wazzou
PULLMAN, Wash. Kent State starter Chris Carpenter pitched seven solid innings Sunday, but Kent State surrendered a 3-1 lead in a 5-3 loss in the finale of a four-game series.
"He was as good as we've ever seen him, that's for sure," head coach Scott Stricklin said. "But at the same time it's very disappointing to not get him a win. They had six total baserunners and scored five runs."
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the fourth, the Golden Flashes quickly went to work against Cougar Starter James Wise. After he was down a strike, Anthony Gallas ripped a singled back up the middle. Greg Rohan then worked the count full before drawing a walk to put runners at first and second to start the inning. Jason Patton then lofted a fly ball to deep right field allowing Gallas to tag and advance to third.
Down in the count 1-2, freshman Brett Weibley lifted a drive to the right-center field alley. Gallas again was able to tag and score, this time tying the game at one. A base-hit by Cory Hindel continued the inning but a pop out would end the threat and leave the game tied.
Single tallies in the fifth and sixth gave the Flashes a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth. With the bases empty and two down in the fifth, Ben Klafczynski smacked a double to right. On the very next pitch, Gallas snuck a liner inside the left-field line for another double, scoring Klafczynski with the go-ahead run.
Ahead now 2-1, Brad Winter got the chance to pinch hit in the top of the sixth. He promptly roped a double down the right field line on the first pitch he saw. Reliever Matt Way started to struggle with his command and fell behind in the count to Weibley. On a 3-1 count, Weibley blistered a single to center and Winter was aggressively sent to the plate by Scott Stricklin to give KSU the 3-1 lead.
Meanwhile, Carpenter was absolutely cruising. After allowing the first-inning run, the junior settled into a comfortable groove. He struck out seven in his first five innings of work, allowing just one base hit.
However, he hit a rough spot in the home half of the sixth. A leadoff single by Scott Suttmeier preceded a walk to Shea Vucinich. A balk was then called on Carpenter to move both runners up. A groundout to first and a sac fly scored each runner and suddenly the game was tied again, this time 3-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, Carpenter got right back on track. Working in the 3-3 deadlock, he struck out the first two batters on full counts, then got Greg Lagreid to ground out on the first pitch to end the inning. The pair of punch-outs brought Carp's total to 10 for the day.
"He had everything going," Stricklin said. "Good fastball, good breaking ball. He located too which was key."
The game moved into the eighth inning where Gallas led off with a towering double to left-center field to start things off. A fly ball to left field off the bat of Rohan kept Gallas at second. The Cougar bullpen then got Winter to ground out and Weibley to strike out, thus wasting the leadoff double.
"We just did not execute. We made far too many mental mistakes and they cost us this game. We missed signs, go caught in run-downs and those are mental mistakes we continue to make," Stricklin said.
Carpenter departed after seven superb innings. He allowed three runs on just two hits and struck out 10. He gave way to Jon Pokorny who walked pinch hitter Alex Burg. Burg was chased to second on a sac bunt by Suttmeier. An untimely throwing error by Pokorny sent Burg to third, and Stricklin summoned his closer, Reid Lamport.
Lamport calmly struck out Vucinich for the second out, and then intentionally walked Travis Coulter. Coulter then immediately swiped second and then both runners scored on a huge two-out, two-run single to left-center by John Desmarais. The clutch hit gave the Cougars a 5-3 lead they would not relinquish in the top of the ninth.
The Flashes, despite taking the first game of the weekend, drop three of four for the second straight weekend. The extended spring break trip to Louisville and Marshall takes place next weekend, March 14-16 and the 18-19th.
"Starting Friday we'll be playing eight games in 10 days. I would like to think we'll start to be more consistent with different game situations. We definitely need to be more prepared," Stricklin added.
