SwampDogs Lose in Extras on Controversial Call, 2-1

July 12, 2014 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Fayetteville SwampDogs News Release


WILMINGTON, N.C. - It was another pitcher's duel at Buck Hardee Field in Wilmington as the Fayetteville SwampDogs lost 2-1 in 12 innings Friday night.

SwampDogs starting pitcher Teddy Turner (Trinity) went the first five innings, allowing just one run on two hits, without walking a batter and striking out one.

Turner ran into some trouble in the fourth inning when he hit the leadoff batter Steven Linkous with a pitch then surrendered a single to Nate Moorhouse. With Michael Montville at the plate, Linkous and Moorhouse attempted a double steal. Lane Paul (Murray State College) threw down to second base and nailed Moorhouse for the first out of the inning, but Linkous got to third base safely. After Montville popped up to Jason Blum (Southeast Missouri State) for the second out of the inning, Cam McRae singled back up the middle to bring home Linkous and put the Sharks ahead 1-0.

After Turner exited the game, Ryan Stinar (Albany) came in to pitch, and after a 1-2-3 sixth, ran into some trouble in the seventh inning. He walked Montville to lead off the inning then allowed a double to McRae that centerfielder Michael Bozarth (Saint Louis) lost in the lights, and runners were on second and third with nobody out. Stinar reached deep and struck out Shawn Sanders for the first out, then was removed from the game in favor of Rayne Raven (Cal State Northridge). Raven coaxed back-to-back groundouts from Collin Steagall, and Joe DeVito to get out of the inning. He would stay in and hurl a scoreless frame in the eighth inning.

The SwampDogs offense was held off the scoreboard through the first eight innings by Sharks starter Beau Dees, and reliever William Shepley.

In the ninth against the usually stellar Kyler Stout, Blum led off with an infield single, then was sacrificed to second base by David Palenzuela (Miami Dade). After a strikeout from Norm Donkin (Delaware) the SwampDogs were down to their final out. Sam Hall (Dixie State) was called off the bench to pinch hit for Paul, and on the second pitch from Stout drove a hit through the right side of the infield to score Blum from second base and even the score up at 1. That was the first run allowed by Stout this season in 19.0 innings pitched.

In the ninth inning Raven ran into some trouble, as both McRae and Sanders reached on one-out errors, and the winning run stood on second wih Steagall coming up to the plate. He got Steagall to pop out to Stewart at second base, then with DeVito up, a wild pitch allowed the runners to move up 90 feet. On the next pitch, DeVito grounded up to Brandon Metoyer (Menlo College) and the threat was thwarted. After an uneventful 10th inning, Raven's night was done.

Ricky Rivera (Central Missouri) was called upon to pitch the 11th, and worked around a two out error to keep the score knotted up at 1-1.

The SwampDogs came close in the top of the 12th inning against Ryan Manore, when Stewart walked to lead off the frame, and then stole second base. David LaFleur (LSU Eunice) bunted him over to third, but Manore hunkered down and retired pinch hitter Tyler Coolbaugh (Oklahoma) and DH Palmer Page (Utah Valley) in order to end the threat.

The Sharks mounted a threat of their own in the 12th, when Steagall walked to lead off the inning after an error by Donkin on a foul ball extended his at bat. DeVito then sacrificed him to second, and Nathan Becker singled to right field to put runners at first and third with one out. The next batter Sam Foy walked to load the bases, and Linkous coming up. Manager David Tufo called Norm Donkin in from left field as an extra infielder, but he would not be needed as Rivera struck out Linkous looking. The defense returned to normal as Moorhouse strode up to the plate.

What happened next would anger Rivera, Hall, Tufo and every SwampDogs player, and justifiably so. On a 2-2 pitch, Moorhouse clearly leaned into the way of a Rivera pitch and was awarded first base by James Folske and Matthew Vogel, pinch running for Steagall, came in to score the winning run.

Rivera (1-3) would undeservingly take the loss for the SwampDogs, and Manore (3-0) would get the win for the Sharks.

The SwampDogs hit the road again Saturday night to take on the Columbia Blowfish.



Coastal Plain League Stories from July 12, 2014


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