Roadrunners baseball recaps March 31-April 1

The Roadrunners returned to action March 31 at Dey Field in Liberty Park Stadium against the Three Rivers Community College Raiders for a Region 16 four-game series. Originally, the series was scheduled to be in Poplar Bluff but was moved to Sedalia because of weather. SFCC lost both games 5-1 and 9-6 on March 31. On April 1 SFCC won the first game 5-3, and the Raiders won the last game 7-6. 

In game one, Three Rivers scored two runs in the first inning, added two in the fourth and one in the fifth. SFCC scored in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

Freshman Chris De Los Santos started the Roadrunners' offense with a one out double. Sophomore Derek Miller drove in State Fair's only run with a base hit to score De Los Santos. 

Freshmen Zack Ehlen and Andru Baxley had the only other two hits for the Roadrunners in game one. 

Freshman Roberto Ramirez pitched six innings, allowing nine hits and five runs. He struck out two and took the loss for SFCC. 

In game two, the Raiders scored three runs in the top of the first and tacked on three in the top of the fourth inning. 

SFCC answered with six runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the score. Sophomore Tanner Cantrell started the offensive explosion with a base hit. SFCC batted around in the inning. Three Rivers answered with a run in the top of the fifth and two in the eighth to claim the victory. 

Freshman Jake McMahill pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing four hits, six runs and three earned runs while striking out nine for SFCC. He took the loss. 

Freshman D.J. McNew and Baxley had two hits each. Freshman Tyler Crane drove in two runs. Ehlen, McNew and freshman Dalton Zaremba drove in one run each. 

In the first game on April 1, the Raiders scored two runs in the top of the third and added a run in the top of the fourth. 

The Roadrunners scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth and added three runs in the sixth, courtesy of a three-run homerun from freshman Jacob Clifton to left field. 

Freshman Derek Shikles had two hits and a run scored. Clifton scored two runs. Sophomore Derek Miller drove in a run. 

Sophomore Payton Rawlins had a great day on the mound for SFCC; he went the distance, giving up three runs while scattering five hits and striking out seven to earn the victory. 

In game two, SFCC jumped on the scoreboard in the first inning with two runs. The first run scored courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Cantrell. Baxley followed with a base hit to center field to drive in the second run. 

However, Three Rivers scored two runs in the top of the second to tie the game. The Roadrunners added a run in the bottom of the second inning to take a lead. 

Three Rivers added one run in the top of the third to tie the game at three. 

SFCC scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-3 advantage. The Raiders scored a run in the sixth and two in the eighth to tie the contest at six. 

Three Rivers scored the game-winning run on an inside-the-park homerun to left field with two outs. The SFCC offense could not answer in the bottom half of the inning. 

Miller recorded a doubled and drove in a run. Shikles tripled and drove in a run. Ehlen, Cantrell and Baxley each drove in a run. 

Freshman Chase Plymell pitched six innings, giving up four runs and three earned runs on seven hits while striking out four and earning a no decision. Freshman Alex Dyer picked up the loss in relief for SFCC, pitching 1 1/3 innings and striking out two. 

The Roadrunners record stands at 12-18 and 5-15 in Region 16. 

David Rohrbach

SFCC Athletics