Sixth-Inning Rally Sends Game to Extras, But Barnegat Falls Short

After a relatively quiet day at the plate, the Barnegat Bengal bats awoke in the bottom of the sixth inning. Taking on the Lacey Lions varsity baseball team, the Bengals were stymied by a great pitching performance from Lacey's Donovan Waller.

After he was removed from the game prior to the sixth inning, things were looking up for the Bengals, who were one wild pitch away from scoring the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth.

With two outs in the fifth, and nine of the previous 11 batters striking out, Mark McCoy dropped down a bunt. McCoy, would have beaten a clean throw to the bag, took second when the throw sailed into right field. Short stop Kyle Anderson came up next and singled him him to cut the score to 5-3 Lacey.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, without Walller in the game, Barnegat broke through. Catcher Mike Dunkin lead off the inning with a single that was followed up by a Calvin Cardillo walk.

First baseman Harry Paul scored Dunkin with his single and Justin Chasmer lay down a bunt he beat out to load the bases. Following a fielders choice, pinch hitter Andrew Kantenwein singled and tied the game as Ron Wolfgang, who was pinch running for Cardillo, came around to score. With the bases still loaded and the top of the lineup coming up, two strikeouts ended the inning.

"Obviously, it is disappointing," said Brett Hardie, head coach of the Bengals. "We had two of our best hitters up and a hit there wins the game."

The Bengals got out of the top of the seventh, holding a Lacey runner on a third.

Despite two great plays by McCoy in the bottom of the eighth, the Lions took the lead for good before going down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to end the game. After a throw went way over McCoy's head, who was playing first base, he recovered in time to turn and throw out the runner who was advancing to second. Later on, he made a nice snag on a line out; afterwards, he almost tagged out the runner on first diving back to the bag.

"He's just a gamer," said Hardie, "he gets after it every single day."

McCoy could do nothing to prevent three hits in the inning, the last one having Patrick Jensen drive in the go-ahead run.

McCoy lead off the game with a double and scored on a passed ball. Cardillo would single home Kyle Anderson, who walked, to see the Bengals take a 2-0 lead. For the next three innings, Barnegat did not get a hit.

"They just got ahead of us when we were batting," said Hardie, "kept us off balance, he was really hitting his spots."

Righty Dave Smithman was the starter for the Bengals, who pitched four innings and allowed five runs, three unearned. Pitching in relief were Chris Keesser and Harry Paul. Keesser pitched three and two third innings of scoreless play in relief.

McCoy was 2-for-4 on the day with two runs scored. Anderson and Cardillo both went 1-for-3 with a walk, run scored, and RBI.

Barnegat's next game will be Tuesday, at home, at 3:45, against Jackson Liberty.