Box Score DAVENPORT, Iowa – A ninth-inning rally was not enough for Roosevelt to avoid dropping the opening game of a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference series with St. Ambrose on Friday at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa.
The Lakers (19-13, 8-8 CCAC) entered the top of the ninth trailing by three runs, but were able to squeeze out two hits with two outs in the frame to score the requisite runs. However, Roosevelt stranded runners on second in both the 10th and 11th innings before allowing the winning hit in the bottom of the 11th to fall 7-6.
Roosevelt was able to put some pressure on St. Ambrose from the opening inning by loading the bases with one away in the frame. Diego Munoz sent a high fly ball to center field that was caught, but Daniel Gutierrez tested the outfielder's arm by trying to score. The Lakers shortstop was thrown out at the plate for the final out of the inning then the Lakers stranded a pair of walks in the second inning.
After St. Ambrose took the lead in the bottom of the second, Roosevelt responded in the top of the third with Munoz making sure no one could stop the Lakers from scoring. The third baseman smashed a no-doubt triple into the gap in right center field to tie the game as Luca Paolucci and Daniel Gutierrez both scored on the play. Two batters later, Jaylen Heard gave the Lakers the lead with a double into right field that plated Munoz.
The Lakers were able to put people on base in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but no one made it further than first base. Meanwhile, St. Ambrose took the lead in the bottom of the fifth then extended it with runs in the sixth and eighth innings. Roosevelt went down in order for the first time all day in the seventh inning then repeated the feat in the eighth inning as well.
That set up the dramatic ninth inning, which began with Jojo Mack drawing a walk and Bryce Hayman getting plunked by a pitch. Gutierrez loaded the bases with a single through the right side, the fourth hit of the game for the Lakers, to bring up Sherman Martin. The second baseman did earn an RBI, but did so by grounding into the classic 6-4-3 double play that left the tying run at the plate and just one runner on third base.
Hunter Darst brought home Hayman with a single then Munoz delivered his third RBI on the day with a double into the gap in right center, which allowed pinch runner Danny Holloway to score. Fabian Cruz came on to pinch run for Munoz, and he quickly moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch, but the Lakers stranded him there.
Kyle Winston came on to relieve Kerry Zeese for the ninth inning, and allowed the winning run to reach third base before he induced a fly ball to left field to escape the jam. Heard led off the 10th with a double, but was left there by three straight strikeouts to again put Winston in a pressure situation. The right hander picked up two quick outs then loaded the bases only for Winston to get a foul out to Heard at first base.
Gutierrez led off the 11th inning with a single then was advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Martin. After Darst was hit by a pitch, the Lakers had two runners on base with one out, but could not advance the tiebreaking run off second base. The Fighting Bees put together consecutive extra-base hits to start the 11th inning to claim victory.
Roosevelt managed just eight hits in the loss with three of them coming from Gutierrez, who was 3 for 4 with a walk and a run scored. Munoz finished 2 for 5 with three RBIs and Heard was 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI while Darst had the only other hit for the Lakers. The Lakers also struck out 17 times against St. Ambrose's pitching with three players fanning three times in the setback.
The Lakers and Fighting Bees continue their series with a doubleheader Saturday at Ozinga Field beginning at 2 p.m.
