By Emma del Sol
The ‘Sters jumped to an early five run lead after four, but were unable to hold off the Hays Larks and lost their first game in the NBC World Series. Jaylin Davis got the ‘Sters on the board in the top of the second with a two-run home run over the left field fence. After the Larks tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, the ‘Sters came back with a two run sixth, but the Larks fought back and scored four more runs over the next few innings. The Foresters had previously been the only team in the NBC to not commit an error, but that two-game streak ended tonight. The ‘Sters will be back in action Thursday in a win or go home game.
The ‘Sters bats were alive again today. After a lead off double by Granger Studdard in the top of the second inning, Jaylin Davis pulled the ball over the left field fence for a two-run double putting the ‘Sters on the board.
The Foresters extended their lead in the top of the fifth inning scoring three more runs. Jake Vickerson led off the inning with an infield single and reached second on a throwing error by the third baseman. On the first pitch of the next at-bat, Colt Atwood had a bunt single down the first base line. The next two batters, Ford Stainback and Dillon Dobson had back-to-back singles to bring home one run each. Studdard then grounded out to third to bring home the third run of the inning.
After giving up back-to-back singles in the first inning, Dylan Bein was able to pitch four scoreless innings. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Larks were able to get the best of Bein scoring five runs to tie the game. Bein went five and two third innings, giving up seven runs, while only walking one and striking out two.
After the Larks tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, the ‘Sters regained the lead after Jeremy Montalbano led off the inning with a double to left. Bret Boswell then had a single up the middle and Montalbano came home on a sac fly from AJ Kennedy. Atwood then had his third hit of the game, this time an RBI single to score Boswell.
The Larks came back biting in the bottom half of the inning scoring three runs off of Bein and reliever Brandon Quintero. The Larks added one more run in the seventh to extend their lead to two.
Matt Withrow pitched and inning of shutout baseball and John Williamson added on two-thirds of an inning of shutout ball in relief. Williamson struck out two of the batters he faced.
The ‘Sters began a rally in the top of the ninth inning. With runners on first and second with no outs, the ‘Sters were unable to capitalize and fell to the Larks by a final score of 9-7. The ‘Sters will be back in action on Thursday in their fourth game of the NBC World Series.
