Drovers Drop Doubleheader

CHICKASHA – The bats were alive, but six errors cost the University of Science and Arts both games of Tuesday’s doubleheader against Southwestern Oklahoma at Bill Smith Ballpark.

Despite three homeruns and out-hitting the Bulldogs – including doubling SWOSU’s hit production in Game One – USAO fell 7-5 and 9-5 in extra innings of Game Two. The Drovers committed three errors in each game, and the go-ahead run or several insurance runs in each game came in the Bulldogs’ final at bat and directly off an error.

In Game One, homers by Grady Wood and Ryan Brincat helped USAO erase a 5-3 deficit. But in the top of the seventh, with the game tied 5-5, disaster stuck. With two runners on base and no outs, SWOSU’s Landon Thompson was caught in a run-down. An errant throw went into the outfield allowing teammate Sean Rogers to score and break the tie.

Thompson, who ended up on third after that play, scored on a sacrifice fly on the next at bat. USAO scored two in the bottom of the seventh, but the tying runner was thrown out stretching a single into a double to end the game.

In Game Two, USAO battled back from a 5-0 deficit to tie the score after Brincat’s second homer of the day – a three run shot to left center in the fifth inning. In the eighth inning, SWOSU’s Lance Scales sent one down the right-field line with the bases loaded. One Bulldog scored on the hit, but an error on the cutoff from the outfield allowed all three runners to score and Scales to advance to third base. Scales scored on the next at bat.

Kris Kolar and Adam Crosbie started a rally with singles in the bottom of the eighth inning, but the Drovers weren’t able to put a dent into the four-run deficit.

USAO dropped to 2-4 on the season, but the team will be back in action on Wednesday at home against Central Oklahoma beginning at 2:30 p.m.

###