Astro Falcons take 2-1 lead over R & amp;J

Game 4 in the best-of-five series begins today at 6 p.m. at Cene Park.
By ZACH STIPE
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
STRUTHERS -- Down 3-2 with two outs in the seventh inning, the Astro Falcons rallied to score three runs to win 5-3 over R & amp;J Trucking in Game 2 of their best-of-five Class B Championship series.
Later Wednesday at Cene Park, R & amp;J came back to win Game 3, 5-4.
The Astro Falcons hold a 2-1 series advantage heading into today's Game 4 at 6 p.m.
If needed, Game 5 will follow at 8 p.m.
Astro Falcons center fielder Jared Bartholomew said that he wasn't nervous at all when coming to the plate with two outs and his team trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh.
Keeping cool
Even after tallying two strikeouts and a pop-out in his first three at-bats, Bartholomew remained cool with the game on the line.
"I was just thinking don't try to over-swing," Bartholomew said. "Just put the bat on the ball."
Bartholomew did just that, knocking a hot liner down the first base line to score Andy Onufrak and tie the game.
Two more runs scored after Cameron Konup hit a grounder that was misplayed by R & amp;J shortstop C.J. Morris, giving the Astros a 5-3 lead they would not relinquish.
Kolten Hoffman had a remarkable day pitching 11 innings over two games for the Astros.
Hoffman earned a complete game victory for the Astros in Game 2, yielding no walks and only two earned runs.
He picked up the loss in Game 3, pitching the first four innings and giving up two earned runs.
"I don't pitch a whole bunch," Hoffman said. "I just come out and try to change speeds and hit spots."
Jump out early
R & amp;J rattled Hoffman in the first inning of Game 2, notching two singles and a double in their first three at-bats.
Eddie Rohan had a double that scored David Patrick. Rohan scored after Jim Pasquine hit into a fielder's choice. At the end of one inning R & amp;J had a 2-1 lead.
"I got a little scared early," Hoffman said, after his rough first inning. "Then I settled down."
The pitcher didn't surrender another run until Patrick hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, which gave R & amp;J a short-lived 3-2 lead.
Dave Dejacimo and Corey Susany each had two hits for the Astros in Game 2.
For R & amp; J Trucking, Lou Coppola also pitched a complete game, tallying seven strikeouts, but took the loss.
Patrick had one hit and two spectacular catches playing center field for R & amp;J.
Errors costly
Two Falcons' errors in the top of the first inning allowed R & amp;J Trucking to jump out to a 3-0 lead Game 3.
Astro fought back to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the first.
R & amp;J took the lead for good after Ben Miller hit a two-run single in the second inning to give his team a 5-3 advantage.
Dejacimo hit a single in the fifth that scored Evan Proach, cutting R & amp;J's lead to 5-4.
R & amp;J's Nick Mascari pitched the final four innings, giving up only one run to earn the victory.
Pasquine had two hits for R & amp; J, while Dejacimo hit three singles and two RBIs for the Astros.
Tuesday, the Astros won Game 1, 3-2.
stipe@vindy.com