ROLLA, Mo. – The Miners only put three on base and had one hit in today's game against Sioux Falls, leading to an 11-0 run rule loss. Sioux Falls' freshman LHP Owen Weadge pitched all eight innings for the Cougars and had eight strikeouts.
Ethan Morrow (Lenexa, KS/Shawnee Mission West) started at pitcher for the Miners today. After ten pitches, Morrow was a strike away from closing out the inning when the Cougars hit back-to-back doubles, putting them up 1-0 in the first. Morrow got through the top of the second in just nine pitches but got into trouble in the top of third. After an error by
Nick Krodinger (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto) and a double for the Cougars, Sioux Falls had runners at first and third with only one out. A pick off at second base followed by a ground out to Krodinger would get the Miners out of the inning without giving up any more runs though.
The Miners got their first man on base in the bottom of the third when
Carter Bither (Springfield, MO/Springfield Catholic) was hit by a pitch, but he was left stranded as the next three batters had flyouts or groundouts. Morrow's second pitch of the fourth inning came straight back at him, hitting him in the leg and ricocheting off. Morrow was unhurt but made a throwing error on his throw to first, allowing the runner to advance to second base. The next batter for Sioux Falls would bring the runner home with a double left field, giving the Cougars a 2-0 lead. The Miners quickly closed out the inning after that though, getting a putout, a strikeout, and a groundout with the next three at bats.
Morrow only threw 11 pitches in the 5th, getting a strikeout and two groundouts to end the inning quickly. The top of the 6th would not be as kind to the Miners though. Two outs into the inning, Morrow walked his second batter in a row, so
David Kephart (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley Northwest) came in to replace him. With a man on second, the Cougars hit a single to left field off Kephart's sixth pitch of the game, bringing another run home to extend their lead to three.
The Miners got their first and only hit of the game in the bottom of the sixth off a bunt up the first base line by Andrew Hedgecort. After coming away without any points in the bottom of the sixth, the Miners entered the top of the seventh with Kephart still on the mound. After a pair of errors by Kephart and a walked batter, the Miners were facing bases loaded with zero outs. A pop out to Krodinger and a strikeout by Kephart game the home fans hope that they could get out of the inning unscathed, but a double and a single in the ensuing at bats brought four home for USF who now led 7-0.
Matt Ellingson (Lenexa, KS/Olathe Northwest) came in and closed out the inning for the S&T.
S&T only had three at bats on fifteen pitches in the bottom of the seventh, forcing them to take the field again without much of a break. A double and a home run for the Cougars on their first two at bats put them ahead 9-0. Three singles and a wild pitch would allow USF to add two more, going up 11-0, before Ellingson was replaced by
Cody Hazzard (Mazon, IL/Yorkville Christian) who closed the inning with a strikeout and a ground out. After failing to score any in the bottom of the eighth, a run-rule was declared to end the game.
The loss went to Morrow who allowed 4 hits and 3 runs in 5.2 innings.
The Miners welcome Wayne State to Rolla for a four game series starting this Saturday.
