LaCrone’s squad suffers hiccup in pool play
By: Argus Observer Sports Staff
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 10:39 AM PDT
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| SUBMITTED PHOTTO
SRV National slugger Clint Blackwell takes a cut in this submitted photo. Tuesday, Blackwell and the 14-year old Nationals lost 14-9 to Hermiston. |
Pendleton—Murphy’s Law struck hard on Jim LaCrone’s 14-year old SRV Nationals team Tuesday in pool play action at the Babe Ruth state baseball tournament in Pendleton.
The Nationals committed eight errors, used six different pitchers, who allowed six hits and left 12 runners stranded in their 14-9 loss to Hermiston.
“We threw everybody and the kitchen sink at them, but it was just one of those days,” LaCrone said. “It was an all around rough day for us.”
The big damage from Hermiston came in the fourth inning where they broke open a 3-all deadlock with six runs in the fourth inning off Nationals reliever Dalton Ware.
Of the six runs allowed by Ware, two were earned, as the Nationals booted the ball all over the field to the tune of three errors.
When the dust finally settled, Hermiston was up 9-3.
The Nationals inched closer as the game went on and, in the bottom of the seventh inning, they plated four runs in the inning to close the gap to 14-9.
“We battled back at the end there,” coach LaCrone said. “We gave up a lot of early runs and scored six runs late to get back in the game. We tried hard to come back, but couldn’t overcome that big deficit. Now, we hope that teams overlook us. Maybe, we can sneak in the back door and take this thing.”
The Nationals pounded out 10 hits in the contest and were led at the plate by Justin Seamons, who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Clint Blackwell and Dawson Crow each went 2-for-4, and Blackwell drove in two runs and scored two more.
Tanner Alexander added two hits, including a home run and three RBIs.
“We had a decent outing at the plate, we just didn’t play good defense,” LaCrone said. “It wasn’t one player that played bad, everyone had a rough day. It was just one of those days. We can play along with any of these teams, so now we hope we can get things right for the rest of the tournament.”
The Nationals played Clackamas at 10 a.m. today. Lane LaCrone is slated to get the start.
