Archives > Sports > Schools
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Quick turnaround: Clutch hitting overcomes errors, propels East past McKinney
By Richard C. White, rwhite@starlocalnews.com
PLANO -- Despite a strong performance from McKinney junior starter Brett Gannaway and plenty of early run support, the Lions fell to district foe Plano East, 7-6, Friday night from Panther Stadium.
"In this district you have to play seven full innings," said Jeremy Price, McKinney head coach. "Unfortunately we didn't do that tonight."
East scored all seven of its runs in the final two innings, including coming back from a 4-0 deficit. The Panthers won despite committing five errors in the game.
The Lions won the first game in the series, 5-0, on Tuesday. McKinney falls to 10-7 on the season and 1-3 in District 10-5A, while Plano East improves to 12-5-2 on the year and 1-3 in district.
Gannaway held the Panthers hitless until the fourth.
"He's been good for us over his last three outings," Price said. "He's done exactly what he needed to do to give us a chance to win and we gave him some run support."
The Lions jumped on the board in the top of the first. Senior third baseman Garrett Christianson worked a walk to start the game. Two batters later junior shortstop Joe Baker was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second.
Runners then advanced to second and third on a fielder's choice. Christianson would then score on a wild pitch by East senior Ryan Boucher.
McKinney manufactured two more runs in the third. With runners on second and third, senior right fielder Jesse Cox hit a bouncing grounder to second to bring in one run on an infield single.
Senior catcher Dalton Harris then batted in a run of his own on an infield single to first that ate up junior James Rudkin, giving McKinney the 3-0 lead.
With one out in the sixth and McKinney runners on first and second, Christianson hit an RBI single to right off of relief pitcher Rudkin to bring in senior Avery Arnold. The hit expanded the Lions lead to 4-0.
The Panthers mustered their second hit of the game in the sixth, as senior Ryan Kravik lined a single to left. Kravik also got East's first hit of the game in the fourth.
East finally got on the board as senior Nick Ramos lined an RBI double to deep right. Rudkin then crushed a two-run homer to deep left, as East had suddenly cut what had been a 4-0 lead to 4-3 in less than two minutes.
"That was huge," Collins said. "That got us right back in it. We were on life support and luckily no one pulled the plug on us."
Ever ready, the Lions continued to put numerous runners on, as they quickly loaded the bases in the seventh for senior Gunnar Lund. With no outs, Lund hit into a 1-2-3 double play, moving runners over to second and third.
Arnold then brought in McKinney's fifth run of the game on a liner to shallow right.
"It's what I expected going in," Price said. "When you have the parity this district has, there's going to be a fight every single night. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Everybody is going to have some heartbreaks in this district and it's about how you deal with it."
The Lions then scored as Arnold stole second, prompting a wild throw from East senior catcher Cody Lenderman that allowed McKinney to take a 6-3 lead.
"The balls that we hit on the ground and the errors we forced helped us tonight," Price said. "I was very happy with our approach to get that done."
Gannaway got into trouble in the seventh, as East's first two batters reached on a hit-by-pitch and a walk, prompting Price to pull him in favor of senior Nathan Ahsam. Senior Carson Dickey then walked to load the bases for senior Cooper Sanders. Ahsam struck out Sanders to bring up Kravik, who walked in East's fourth run of the game.
Junior Ryan Rettke then lined in a run to shallow left, cutting McKinney's lead to just one at 6-5 with one out.
"Our kids were patient and had good at-bats," Collins said. "That was the big key."
Ramos then reached first on a hit-by-pitch to tie the game, 6-6. Rudkin followed with a dribbler to third that ate up Christianson and brought in the winning run.
East hosts Plano Senior on Tuesday while McKinney returns to action against Plano West on the road. Both games are at 7:30 p.m.
"I'm going to tell my guys this is just one game," Price said. "It's going to hurt and it should, but it's just one game and we have several more to come that are going to make the difference. Nobody won a playoff spot or lost a playoff spot with tonight's ballgame. We've got a lot more baseball left to play."
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: Mckinney «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
