By: Pat Mullen
Battle Creek, Mich. – Another tough day at the ball park for the Bombers as they took the lead early, but went on to lose 3-2.
Jacob Waguespack (Ole Miss), who is leading the South Division in ERA, was solid yet again on the mound. He went 5 2/3 innings for Battle Creek, only being taken out because of his pitch count.
“Everything just hit the fan,” Waguespack said about the 6th inning. “Sometimes it doesn’t go your way but you just got to bounce back on the mound.”
The Ole Miss Rebel did give up three runs, but only one was earned and he held the Woodchucks to just three hits.
“Wags… another quality start from him,” Coach Robinson touched on post-game. “We should be able to get some runs but it just didn’t happen tonight. He pitched his heart out and did what he does.”
The offense left guys stranded in numerous innings, but were led by David Richards IV (Savannah State) who had a solid day in the nine hole. David went 2-3 and started things off in his last game of the season for the Bombsquad before going back to school.
“It was a great at bat,” Richards IV stated. “The first pitch he threw me was a slider away and I knew he was going to come back with another slider and I was just hoping to get a good piece of wood on it to drive some runs in.”
He did just that, getting a two out, two run RBI to right field to take an early lead.
The Woodchucks cut the lead in half in the fifth after Waguespack gave up a leadoff triple which came around to score on an RBI groundout.
In the sixth, it was a leadoff single followed by a stolen base that set everything up for the heart of the order. Taylor Kohlwey, the baserunner, then attempted to steal third on a strikeout in the dirt (this would have been the second out of the inning), but Colby Bortles (Ole Miss) could not handle the throw.
Kohlwey was able to come around to score on the Bortles error and Brendon Hayden, advanced to first on the pitch in the dirt. After another error, a single brought in the third run for the Woodchucks and that was all they needed.
The Bombers have now lost five straight after winning three in a row. They will look to get back on track tomorrow with a 5:05 first pitch at C.O. Brown Stadium.
Game Notes:
David Richards IV on leaving Battle Creek: “Honestly man, I was just enjoying it. Not just the baseball part but the whole atmosphere. And not even just the players, even though they are a great group of guys. But as far as the Battle Creek Bombers organization; the staff is amazing and I enjoyed working with them. It was just overall an awesome experience. And I can’t forget the Wilcox family enough for all the things they have done for me as my host family. And I just thank the Lord, man, every day. Thank you guys.”
Waguespack on the ERA Crown possibility: “Every time you just have to go out and try to do your best. Just pound the strike zone and the defense is key. Its nine guys against the one at the plate so just throw the ball over the plate and hope guys get out. So if I get wins or a solid ERA, then that’s good. But I am trying to get the Bombers a win first.”
(LP) Jacob Waguespack (1-3, season ERA 2.08): 5.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
David Richards IV: 2-3, 2 RBI
Edgar Sanchez: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 K
