Baseball coughs up lead late to Colby Sawyer, fall 9-8 to Chargers
Nate Alibozek had three hits in the setback to Colby Sawyer
Auburndale, FL- Colby Sawyer came back from an 8-2 deficit to defeat the MCLA Trailblazers 9-8 this afternoon earning a sweep of their twinbill. The Chargers are now 6-2 on the season while the Trailblazers are 2-6.
MCLA led 8-2 after three and a half innings. The Chargers scored twice in the fourth and plated four runs in the fifth to tie the game at 8-8. They would score the game winner in the sixth using small ball and a Trailblazer miscue to score the winning run.
Casey Thurber started the inning getting hit by a pitch. The next batter bunted him over and the pinch runner McCarthy rounded second and headed for third. MCLA threw across the diamond to get him, however the ball sailed high and McCarthy scored easily for the 9-8 win.
Colby Sawyer scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to take an early 2-0. The game would stay that way until the third inning when MCLA would send nine batters to the plate and score five runs to take the lead. Nate Alibozek drove in a run with a single to center field, but the key blow was off the bat of Robert Jutras.
Batting with the sacks full, he lined pitch deep to center clearing the bases for a three run triple. His hit made the score 5-2 in favor of the Trailblazers. MCLA would extend the lead with two more runs in the fourth on an Alibozek RBI double and a Ryan Shook sacrifice fly.
The Chargers however answered in the bottom of the inning scoring two of their own. They threatened for more loading the bases with one out but MCLA starter Jutras induced a popup to first and a flyout to end the inning.
MCLA would add another run on a fielder's choice in the fifth inning to extend to an 8-4 lead.
Colby Sawyer would tie things up in the home half when the first five batters reached base. A walk brought in a run and two straight RBI groundouts tied the game at 8-8 heading to the sixth.
MCLA's Nate Alibozek was the tough luck loser tossing the sixth inning. He had a solid day offensively going 3-4 and driving in two runs. Jutras went 2-3 with three RBI.