Sunday, February 22, 2009

A beautiful day...

A beautiful day

Bulldogs notch sweep over Coffeyville


Texarkana College’s John Stilson returns to first base as Coffeyville Community College’s Danny Marcuzzo attempts a pickoff Saturday at George Dobson Field. The Bulldogs swept a doubleheader, 12-3 and 7-1.
It was hard for Texarkana College coach Will Bolt to find fault with his Bulldogs after their doubleheader sweep of Coffeyville Community College Saturday at George Dobson Field.

“You have to go out there and play your game, and I thought we did today,” said Bolt after TC’s 12-3 and 7-1 wins. “We did a better job of executing our offense—we got some bunts down and stole some bases. It was a tough day to hit because of the wind, but I thought we did a good job of hitting line drives to all fields, and we got some big, two-out hits.”

TC also got good pitching from starters Tanner Bailey and Justin Fowler and relievers Shane Cole and Ty Moore. Coffeyville managed just five hits in the twin bill.

“Neither one of the starters had their best stuff nor their best command either,” Bolt said, “but they got some ground balls when we needed double plays. Justin had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning, but it didn’t seem like because of his walks (5). But they competed well to get to the fifth and sixth innings. And the guys who came out of the pen did a nice job.”

The Bulldogs pounded out 14 hits in the opener, putting the game out of reach with a 7-run fourth inning, six of them coming with two outs.

David Allday, who was 4 for 5 and drove in four runs, delivered a 2-run double in the inning and Lance Marvel, Jordy Snikeris and Austin Atwall had run-scoring singles, the second hit of the frame for Atwall, who led off with a single. Trey Buck’s triple to right field scored Atwall.

TC sent 13 batters to the plate in the big inning, wiping out a 3-2 Ravens lead.

Buck, Lance Marvel, Atwell and John Stilson added two hits each for the Bulldogs (9-3), who won their sixth straight game at Dobson after an opening loss to Temple College. Pleasant Grove freshman Jake Rogers had his first collegiate hit, a double, in his only at-bat.

Bailey (3-0), a freshman right-hander from Magnolia, Ark., went 4 2/3 innings, allowing all three runs, striking out four, walking three and hitting a batter. Cole gave up just one hit, walked one and struck one over the final 2 1/3 innings.

Brandon Elmore had a 2-run single for the Ravens.

In the nightcap, the Bulldogs scored two runs in each of the first, fourth and sixth innings, and Fowler made them stand up, allowing just two hits—both in the fifth—while striking out five. The New Diana sophomore evened his record at 1-1.

The Bulldogs had eight hits in the second game, three by leadoff batter Buck, who also scored twice. Atwell had a 2-run single as did Allday, giving the former Texas High standout six RBIs on the day. Marvel and Thomas Watson had a double each.

Brad Stanlely’s swinging bunt was the Ravens’ first hit in the fifth inning, and he eventually scored on a clean single by Blake Hageman.

TC played without injured starters Brian Ellis (back) and Joaquin Hinojosa (leg), but their replacements, including Ashdown freshman Devin Day, picked up the slack.

“Two guys who hit right in the middle of our order ware unavailable today,” Bolt said. “They probably could have played had we needed them to, but the way the weather was today I just didn’t want to chance it. It gave us a chance to play some different people, and I tell these guys every day it’s going to take all 24 of them to win a championship. That’s what we’re striving for.”

The Bulldogs and Coffeyville wrap up their 4-game series with a 9-inning contest slated for a noon start today at Dobson. Stilson is scheduled to start on the mound for TC.



GAME 1

Coffeyville 003 000 0 — 3 3 3

Texarkana 020 703 x — 12 14 2

Tyler Treinen, Luke Anderson (4), Rocky Renfro (5) and Matt Dahms. Tanner Bailey, Shane Cole (5) and Jordy Snikeris. WP-Bailey (3-0). LP-Treinen (0-1).



GAME 2

Coffeyville 000 010 0 — 1 2 0

Texarkana 210 202 x — 7 8 0

Collin Edwards, Dylan Rogers (4), Danny Marcuzzo (6) and Ben Blaes. Justin Fowler, Tye Moore (7) and Lance Marvel. WP-Fowler (1-1). LP-Edwards (0-1).