WALNUT GROVE - The Pirates took to the road on Thursday night to Walnut Grove and left with a 12-3 defeat.
Macks Creek jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first. Grant English singled and then moved to third on Trever Smith's one-out single to left. English would come in to score on Tanner Smith's single to left to put the Pirates up 1-0. A wild pitch allowed courtesy runner Jose Cortez and Tanner to move up to second and third. Hunter Harris drew a walk to load the bases. Following a strikeout Tyler Newcomb picked up an RBI when he walked. The lead would hold until the third.
Walnut Grove plated their first three runs in the bottom of the third, using three doubles wrapped around an intentional walk to take the lead. They plated four more in the fifth and five more in the sixth to create the final margin.
The Pirates did plate a single tally of their own in the top of the sixth. Olivier Sanchez reached on an error with one out and moved up to second when Grant English's ground ball to second was mishandled. Sanchez would score on Trever Smith's single to center to push across the final run.
"Offensively we did put the ball in play more often tonight, it just went to people," said Macks Creek Coach Jason Trusty, "defensively we struggled at times again this evening."
"Back to work tomorrow before a busy week next week."
Grant English (2-3) took the loss for the Pirates on the hill. The righthander worked the first five-and-a-third innings and allowed nine runs, six earned, on six hits while striking out nine and walking four. Dakota Willis relieved and worked two-thirds of an inning and surrendered three unearned runs while allowing one hit and hitting one batter.
Offensively Grant English and Trever Smith paced the Pirates with a two-for-three night each. English singled twice, walked, reached on an error and scored while Trever singled twice, and had an RBI. Tanner Smith had the only other hit with an RBI-single. He also scored a run. Hunter Harris walked three times, Austin Brown reached on a fielder's choice and walked, Tyler Newcomb walked, was hit-by-a-pitch, and had an RBI and Olivier Sanchez reached on an error and scored a run. Jose Cortez crossed the plate as a courtesy runner.
The loss drops the Pirates to 3-6 overall and 1-3 in PCL conference play. Macks Creek begins a busy week next week when they play at Stoutland on Monday, host Osage Thursday, travel to Climax Springs on Friday, and then conclude their week with a game next Saturday at Wheatland.
The Pirates JV picked up their second win in a row and of the season with a 5-3 win in the nightcap.
Hunter Harris made his pitching debut and worked two innings, allowing three runs on two hits while walking one batter. Austin Brown picked up the save by striking out the side in the third.
Jose Cortez reached base twice, once on an error and then had an RBI-single. Isaiah Schmidt singled and reached on an error. Tyler Newcomb was hit-by-a-pitch, singled in two runs, and scored once. Olivier Sanchez and Keith Edelman were each beaned and each scored while Hunter Harris walked and scored a run. Dakota Willis reached on an error.
The JV Pirates are now 2-4 overall.
VARSITY BOX SCORE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
MC 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 5 6
WG 0 0 3 0 4 5 X 12 7 2