Barons Beat Themselves
by Nate Loop
Box Score
The ball seems to bounce differently when the MLB Academy Barons play the Foresters. In the first game of the previous series, the Foresters committed a staggering nine errors and took home the loss. Today, it was the Barons turn to fumble the ball around and throw it away, as they committed five errors in what began as a tense pitching duel to allow the Foresters to come away with a 7-0 victory.
Brandon Pierce started the game on the mound for the ‘Sters, and his pitching lived up to the Texas tough moniker. He held the Barons hitless through four and a third innings, the only blemish a throwing error that he had only himself to blame for in the fourth inning.
The Barons trotted out Robert Parucha to square off against Pierce, and he proved to be just about equally as tough to hit. He threw five shutout innings, while only allowing two hits.
As the game marched on, the ‘Sters kept looking for a chance to break through. The bats for both teams looked like they were carved out of lumber from a petrified forest, as neither team looked very threatening. However, when the ‘Sters finally found a crack in the Barons defense, the runs came pouring in all at once.
The Foresters put up five runs in a big sixth inning, which would be all they needed and then some to assure victory on the day. The runs were scored in a highly unorthodox manner, as the Barons gifted a few of those runs with some suspect play. Two of the runs came across due to bases loaded walks by Barons relief pitcher Sean Issac, who combined with his relief Chris Oropesa, would give up five total free passes in the inning.
Ryan O’Hearn flashed the only real bat the Foresters needed in the inning, as he hit a two RBI single in the inning. Another run came across on a bases loaded hit by pitch. The Foresters were not ones to complain, because once the comedy of errors had reached its curtain call, the home team was up 5-0.
Brandon Pierce gave way to Andrew Vasquez in the seventh inning. Vasquez, normally a starting pitcher for his UCSB team, struck out four Barons in two perfect innings.
The Foresters would add two runs in the eight inning as well, although at this point is was addition thanks to Barons subtraction, who seemed to be indebted to the ‘Sters run department.
The Foresters had Luke Plucheck on third and Taylor Stell on first. Stell went to steal second, and Barons catcher Chris Aguirre sailed his throw into the outfield, allowing Plucheck to score. As Stell broke for third on the error, Barons center fielder Tony McClendon sailed his throw over third base and out of play, and the umpire awarded Stell a victory march to home plate. Seven to nothing, Foresters up.
Brendon Shoemake closed out the final inning for the ‘Sters, who now have their fifth win in a row.
The Sters take on the MLB Academy Barons for round two tomorrow afternoon at 5:10 p.m. at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
