Box Score afternoon's 15 inning 1-1 suspended game stands out. Eastern starter
Mike McNulty
did not allow an earned run over eight innings, and
John Taylor struck
out nine in six scoreless innings of relief. For all the great pitching,
the Eagles were unable to convert offensively.
After splitting a
doubleheader yestereday, both teams needed the final game and series win
to maintain any serious hopes of earning a post-season spot. McNulty
gave up three hits in the fourth inning, but he helped himself out of
the jam when he picked a runner off second for the first out of the
inning.
The Eagles scratched out a single tally in the sixth. Dan
Garcia led off the inning with a double. He was unable to advance on
Scott Renauro's flare that just cleared the shortstop's glove. Garcia
made it to third on a fielder's choice and scored on a Kristian Cortizo
single.
The Monarchs tied the game on a throwing error ater a pair
of singles in the seventh. McNulty escaped the jam without further
damage and went another inning before giving way to Taylor. Taylor, who
had not gone more than two innings all year, was very effective in
relief. Though the big right hander allowed four hits, he struck out
nine and did not walk a batter.
Eastern had their best chance of
the extra frame in the twelfth inning when Eric Smith reached after
getting hit by a pitch and Devon Ziegunfuss singled and advanced to
second on the throw. King's reliever Joey Troxell got the next three
Eastern hitters without allowing a long fly ball or hit.
Taylor
tired toward the close of his outing, and the Monarchs had two runners
on with no one out in the 14th. Smith caught the trail runner trying to
advance on a wild pitch for the first out and Taylor struck out the next
two hitters to give the Eagles another at bat.
Eastern put two
runners on in the 15th, but they were not able to get a two-out hit to
bring in go-ahead run. Ernie Stiegler continued the trend of solid
pitching with three straight put-outs in the 15th.
"We pitched
very very well today," said Head Coach Matt Midkiff, "We had chances to
score, but we just could not get the big hit we needed. We can't ask our
pitchers to do anything more than what they did. We gave up some hits,
but we didn't walk guys and we made big pitches when we needed them."
At
this point, the game is unresolved. A determination on its resolution
will be made at a later date.
Box
Score
