Thursday, April 16, 2009

TC can't split with trend...

TC can’t split with trend


Texarkana College seems to be reaching the point where it can’t win for losing.

The Bulldogs divided their third straight home series on Wednesday at George Dobson Field, edging Bossier Parish Community College, 2-1, in the first game of the Region XIV doubleheader, but dropping the nightcap, 12-7.

In earlier splits with Navarro College and Northeast Texas Community College, the Bulldogs had to win the second games after losing the openers.

“It was not a very good day. Offensively, we were totally out of our normal approach, chasing everything and not swinging at the pitches we needed to,” said Bulldogs coach Will Bolt after TC managed just 10 hits in the two games. “I thought we got a great effort on the mound in the first game, and it was what we were needing.”

Freshman right-hander Tanner Bailey, who normally starts the nine-inning nightcaps, went the distance in the seven-inning opener, scattering six hits, striking out five and walking two. He also hit a batter. The only run he surrendered was unearned, the result of his own throwing error.

“We moved Tanner to the first game because we just needed a spark and a chance to sweep,” Bolt said. “But we made the same mistakes offensively in the second game as we did the first. We really didn’t play particularly well in any facet of the game all day long, despite the split. I’m not real pleased with the way we’ve played.”

The pitching of Bailey (7-1) was really the lone highlight for the Bulldogs on the day. TC (28-13, 13-8) managed just four hits off Cavaliers starter Alex Garcia in the first game, scoring in the fourth inning when Joaquin Hinojosa was hit in the ribs by a pitch, moved to third on David Allday’s single and scored on Gip Hendrix’s sacrifice fly.

Hinojosa finished the game, but was unable to play in the nightcap due to bruised ribs.

TC’s winning run in the sixth was unearned. Brian Ellis blooped a single to left, advanced on a passed ball, took third on an error and scored on Allday’s long sacrifice fly to left. Allday (2 for 2) and Ellis (2 for 3) had all the Bulldogs’ hits.

Bossier Parish (27-15, 8-12) raked four TC pitchers for 17 hits in the second game. Starter Zach Fowler was roughed up for six runs on nine hits through 4 1/3 innings, but first reliever Shane Cole took the loss after the Bulldogs rallied to tie the game with three runs on as many hits in the fifth.

But the Cavaliers scored three runs in each of the seventh and eighth innings, and relievers Mark Taylor and Jamie Gilley held the Bulldogs to two hits and a run the rest of the way.

Thomas Watson broke up a no-hit bid by starter Wesley Grant with a long solo home run in the fourth inning, and Trey Buck delivered a second run in the frame with a sacrifice fly.

No Bulldog had more than one hit in the nightcap. Kyle Morton was 4 for 5, including a double, for BPCC.

Texarkana College hosts Paris Junior College on Saturday, the doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.



GAME 1

Bossier Parish CC 000 010 0 — 1 6 2

Texarkana College 000 101 x — 2 4 1

Alex Garcia and Jarrett Hammond. Tanner Bailey and Jordy Snikeris. WP-Bailey (7-1). LP-Garcia (4-2).



GAME 2

Bossier Parish CC 031 110 330 — 12 17 2

Texarkana College 010 230 010 — 7 6 2

Wesley Grant, Lance Nugent (4), Matt Taylor (5), Jamie Gilley (9) and Jarrett Hammond. Zach Fowler, Shane Cole (5), Colton Reavis (8), Ty Moore (8) and Lance Marvel. WP-Taylor. LP-Cole. HR: TC-Thomas Watson, 4th, none on; BPCC-Ryan Phelps, 5th, none on.