KOKOMO, IN- The Bombers attempted a late comeback for the second straight night but could not keep enough momentum going as they fell to the Kokomo Jackrabbits 5-4.

The Bombers tried to make things interesting in the eighth off reliever Ryan Beck. Harold Coll lead off the inning with a triple and scored on a ground out by McKeon to make it 5-3. After a pinch hit single by Stephen Krause, Heath Hood ripped a double down the left field line to score Krause to make it 5-4. But that was all as Jack Merrifield grounded out to shortstop as Adam Christopher stopped the bleeding for Kokomo.

Friday’s contest featured a pitching matchup between Kokomo’s Parker Bard and Battle Creek’s Burrell Jones. The two were facing off for the third time this season. Last time it was Jones who got the win but this time Bard was able to come out on top.

Bard went five innings giving up just two runs on three hits while walking four and striking out two. Jones also went five innings but gave up four runs on five hits striking out six.

The game was tied at two until the bottom of the fifth when Jones loaded the bases on two singles and a walk which set up a two-run double by TJ Fondtain.

The Jackrabbits added a run in the seventh when Gavin Grant took home on a thrown down to second as Grant came in from third and avoided a tag at the plate, a play that eventually decided the game.

Grant was one of three Jackrabbits with multiple hits on the night going 2-3. Fondtain and Jakob Marsee were the others both going 2-4. Marsee started the scoring with a home run off Jones in the bottom of the first.

Battle Creek quickly tied the game on a run scoring single by Harold Coll who now has multiple hits in six straight games. Coll recorded a hit in all three of his at-bats in the game.

An RBI triple by Dylan Dennis in the third was answered by a sacrifice fly from Jacob McKeon in the fourth to tie the game at two.

Adam Davis relieved Jones in the sixth and threw three innings giving up one run on four hits. Kokomo used four relievers including Tommy Peltier who retired the Bombers in order for his fourth save of the season.

Rio Britton struck out four in two innings of work for the Jackrabbits. His four strikeouts led all relievers.

The Bombers have now dropped two in a row after winning the first three games of their six-games road trip. The Jackrabbits get back into the win column after losing two straight to Kenosha.

The Bombers and the Jackrabbits will meet again in Kokomo tomorrow night to wrap up the road trip for Battle Creek. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Written by Harris Eisenberg