Bulldogs drop Coffeyville behind Fowler
| Published: 02/23/2008 |
“Zach didn’t have his best stuff, but he was competitive and threw strikes,” said TC coach Will Bolt after the Bulldogs’ 7-1 win over Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College at George Dobson Field. “And he kept his pitch count down by throwing strike one.”
Pitching in frigid weather, the former Liberty-Eylau standout struck out two and walked one, and the only run he gave up was unearned due to his own error in the first inning.
Fowler slipped while fielding Brandon Elmore’s one-out chopper in front of the mound, and threw wide of first from his knees. Elmore advanced on a single by Jason McBride and scored on Zach Johnson’s sacrifice fly.
But the Bulldogs (4-4) took the lead for good in the bottom of the first, scoring three runs on five hits. Trey Buck’s one-out double started the rally, and another two-bagger by Gip Hendrix drove in the tying run.
David Phillips’ infield hit was followed by RBI singles by Dean Malthouse and Lance Marvel.
Josh Gill doubled to lead off the second, stole third, and scored on Anton Garcia’s groundout to third base.
Coffeyville starter Jordan Bartlett blanked the Bulldogs over the next three innings, but Malthouse greeted reliever Nathaniel Rankin with a solo homer with one out in the sixth. Then, following a single by Thomas Watson, Gill slammed his second homer of the season to right field.
“We swung the bats pretty well,” said Bolt, who won his first game at Dobson Field. “We jumped on them early by taking a real good approach at the plate. We put pressure on them the whole game and scored early and late. That will win a lot of games.”
Gill was 2 for 2, and Buck doubled and singled in three trips to lead the 10-hit attack.
The same two teams go at it again today at Dobson in a noon doubleheader. Justin Fowler and Gill are scheduled to pitch for TC.
Coffeyville 100 000 0 — 1 5 0
Texarkana 310 003 x — 7 10 1
Jordan Bartlett, Nathaniel Rankin (6) and Matt Dahms. Zach Fowler and Dean Malthouse. WP-Fowler (1-1). LP-Bartlett (0-1). HR: TC-Malthouse, 6th, none on; Josh Gill, 6th, 1 on.
— Johnny Green
