Mark Perez-Krywany

Sports Editor

The Lorain County Community College baseball team produced 11 hits, but only scored two runs in the 11-2 loss to Ohio State University at Mansfield and Game 1. In Game 2, the Commodores had a 11-10 lead heading into the top of the seventh, but conceded three runs to lose 13-11 on April 8, 2018.

OSU Mansfield got the majority of their runs in the second inning as they were using a myriad of tactics like bunting to make the Commodore defense work to make their defensive plays. OSU Mansfield was able to convert five runs (two earned) against the pitcher with a 2.78 ERA. Bene was able to register an RBI while at one of his four bats in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“When they got guys on, they were bunting and got guys over,” head coach of the baseball team Bill Frawley said after the game. “There were a lot of passes balls and they capitalized on all of our mistakes.”

According to him, Bene hurt his arm in the game and did not pitch for a week.

Tyler LaGuardia was able to step in and produce three scoreless innings in the five innings that he pitched. He recorded four strikeouts. In the last two innings the defense conceded six runs.

“Tyler LaGuardia came in and shut the door and gave us a chance to get us back in the game. We just couldn’t muster up enough runs,” Frawley said. “We hit the ball well. We had 11 hits. We did good. We had a lot of errors in the field and it cost us a lot of runs.”

The Commodores started out the game with aggressive base running as Noah Henderson hit the ball to left field in the first at bat for the Commodores and tried to get a triple, but was caught doing so.

Though he was caught stealing, Frawley said that it was a good thing that they were showing aggressive base running.

The Commodores of Game 2 was able to register runs, but they weren’t able to stop them from scoring as they lost 13-11.

Jessie Barrios led the way offensively with a perfect batting average (4-of-4). He batted in four runs and had a double and two triple base hits.

When it came to fielding, Barrios, in the top of the sixth inning caught a ground ball near second base with a man running for second; needing one out to end the inning, but instead threw the ball to first base and was unable to get the force-out. OSU Mansfield scored two more runs after that to make the game a one run difference. The Commodores conceded three more runs in the seventh inning to be the final nail in the coffin.

Coach Frawley defended Barrios when asked after the game. “It’s not what cost us the game,” he said. “It would have just got us out of that inning and probably taken off three runs the board there.”

Coach Frawley had a conversation about the play with him, but elected not to share what was said.

“I’m disgusted,” he said about how the loss came about. “We had a chance to win. We just made some errors at the end of the game and it cost us the game.”

LCCC had five total errors.

Noah Henderson was the starting pitcher for the fourth time this season. He had a season high seven strikeouts with five earned runs with the six innings that he pitched against 34 batters. There were

Three no-run innings from the second and fifth.

Another run was almost conceded in the top of the fifth inning, but LCCC obtained a bunt that saved a RBI with a man on third and second base.

The result had a two-run difference with players playing different positions. Coach Frawley felt that if center fielder Gavin Taulbee was not sick and was available, “he’d have been the difference.”

Four days later, the Commodores went to Mansfield and split the series against them in the double-header and swept Westmoreland in both games.

Their record after the Westmoreland, and Allegheny County Boyce series last weekend is 9-12.