Another close one goes against MAC

By MATT KING\Daily Journal Sports Writer

PARK HILLS - The Mineral Area College baseball team has struggled to find clutch hits in several close losses this season, and game one of Sunday's double-header against Florissant Valley proved to be the latest example.

The Cardinals were handed six walks and saw two more batters hit by pitches, but could not capitalize on their numerous scoring chances in a frustrating 2-1 loss to the Norsemen.

Mineral Area (7-24) suffered their fifth consecutive setback, and ninth one-run loss of the season after stranding 10 runners overall, including the bases loaded on two occasions. The Cardinals were a combined 0-for-7 with men in scoring position.

The inept offensive performance nullified strong work on the mound by sophomore Jeremy Warren, who suffered the loss despite allowing just three hits while striking out five over five innings. Ryan Hilton kept the game close for MAC with two scoreless frames in relief.

Warren hit the first man he faced and allowed two walks to fill the bases with one out in the first inning, but escaped major trouble by retiring the next two batters. A sacrifice fly by Mike Costa gave the Norsemen a 1-0 lead.

MAC drew even in the second inning, but probably should have done more damage. Sean Bard singled to start a potential rally, but was caught stealing on a botched hit-and-run. The next three Cardinal batters reached base, and Anthony Patton collected a bases-loaded walk to tie the score.

Florissant Valley hurler Dan Scanio bounced back with a key strikeout and a fly out to escape danger. Scanio would also pitch around three straight two-out walks in the fourth to eventually earn the win.

A lead-off walk to Matt Neimeier helped the Norsemen (7-19) score the decisive tally in the top of the third. Neimeier would reach third base with two outs, and score his second run of the day on a wild pitch.

A double play erased a potential rally for the Cardinals in the fifth, just before Ryan Blankenship doubled to the wall in left-center. Reliever Mat Bolzanius induced a bizarre game-ending double play with the help of poor base-running in the seventh to earn the save.

Mineral Area was paced in hitting by Blankenship and Bard, who each finished 2-for-3. Brandon Crook chipped in with a single and stolen base. The Cardinals committed three errors which did not factor in the scoring.

Florissant Valley received one hit each from Jared Bushor, Ryan Salmon and Costa.

Florissant Valley 101 000 0 - 2 3 1

Mineral Area 010 000 0 - 1 5 3

WP - Scanio 5i 1r 4h 3k 6bb 2hb.

LP - Warren 5i 2r 3h 5k 3bb 1hb.

SV - Bolzanius 2i 0r 1h 0k 0bb.

Hitting:

Flo Valley - Costa, Bushor, Salmon. 2b - Costa.

Mineral Area - Bard 2, Blankenship 2, Crook. 2b - Blankenship.