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Pair of errors contributes to Dave Sugar’s loss
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Dave Sugar Excavating centerfi elder Alex Miklos keeps his eye on the ball during his at-bat in Tuesday’s game.
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Tyler Bowditch, left, an infielder for J&A baseball of Lakewood, puts the tag on a Dave Sugar excavating baserunner during a game Tuesday in the second round ofthe Connie Mack Class B Baseball Tournament at Cene Park in Struthers. Up 3-0 early in the game, things turned sour for Dave Sugar when in the bottom of the sixth inning two fielding errors led to three runs for J&A. The final score: J&A 6, Dave Sugar 3.
Pair of errors contributes to Dave Sugar’s loss
By Jon Moffett
STRUTHERS
Things looked to be pretty sweet for Dave Sugar Excavating in its second-round game in the Connie Mack tournament.
But things got awfully sour midway through the game.
Dave Sugar lost to J&A Baseball of Lakewood 6-3, despite being ahead most of the game. Two fielding errors led to three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for J&A.
The loss left head coach Terry Dobson feeling salty, and with a bitter taste in his mouth.
“I thought we came out flat, even though we looked like we had the game in hand,” he said. “But you never really have the game in hand until it’s over. But we lacked some enthusiasm today.”
Dave Sugar scored once in the top of the first inning, and added two more in the top of the fourth. A three-run cushion seemed to be all the team needed to pull out the win.
J&A responded with two runs in the fifth. And then the floodgates opened.
Dobson opted to substitute pitcher Josh Pryor, who allowed three runs on five hits. He called on John Korpon to use his off-speed pitches to keep J&A off-balance.
But instead, the bats kept the Dave Sugar defense off-balance.
After striking out the leadoff hitter, Korpon gave up a double to Colin Houdek. A flyout advanced Houdek to third. Then a sharp ground ball to third baseman Nick Benson took a bad hop and scooted into the outfield, playing Houdek. The next batter lined the base through the legs and glove of shortstop Cody Herald.
Mitch Harringshaw took advantage of the extra two outs and blasted a ball to the left-field wall. Two runners scored, and Harringshaw tried for the inside-the-park home run, but was thrown out at home.
But the damage had been done. The score and all the momentum were in J&A’s favor.
“To be honest with you, we’ve been a very good fielding team all year,” Dobson said. “It was just a lack of attention, that’s all. You’ve got to be ready to play.
Jeff Revesz was ready to play, and was one of the bright spots for Dave Sugar. The 17-year-old Grove City, Pa., native had a good night at the plate. He went 3 for 3 with three doubles.
But not even his triple doubles were enough. Revesz also scored a run and had an RBI.
The loss puts Dave Sugar in a tough position in the double-elimination tournament. But Dobson said it’s nothing the team hasn’t experienced before.
“We’ve been in this same situation before,” he said. “We’ve taken a loss and faced elimination, and we ended up coming back and winning that tournament. I told them it’s nothing new, you just have to come out and fight and be ready the next day. That’s baseball.”
Dobson said the loss might actually be a positive for the team, who now faces a win-or-go-home situation. He said that mindset, and not the relaxed one of winning, should help.
“If they don’t win, they’re done. And I don’t think they want to be done yet,” he said. “This team is too good to want to be done right now. They weren’t happy with the loss, but there is no panic. They know they have to pick it up, or they go home.”