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Metro Baseball Preview: Pitching takes spotlight in 2008

By Zac Taylor
ztaylor2@mscd.edu

Metro’s baseball team blew a ninth-inning lead in loss to Nebraska- Kearney Feb. 10 at Auraria Fields, to start the season 1-2 in nonconference play.

The Loper’s Blake Cover hit a two-run single off of Metro closer Matt Backes with two outs in the top of the ninth to give Kearney the 7-6 win.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Metro left fielder Jake Palmer said on the close loss. “We’re right there, have the lead, just one pitch away. One good play and we win the ball game.”

The Roadrunners appeared to be on their way to a winning record for the weekend, after splitting the first two games of the season against the Lopers.

Metro starting pitcher Armando Casas held Kearney’s potent offense (22 runs scored in the first two games) to only four runs through six innings, only two earned, while getting six runs of support for a 6-4 lead.

“I took the initiative on myself to come out and throw like I know I can,” Casas said.

The big support came off the bat of Palmer, who hit a two-run single that broke a 3-3 deadlock in the bottom of the fifth.

Metro relief pitcher Ted Jamison took over in the seventh and pitched two scoreless innings before loading the bases with only one out in the top of the ninth.

A defensive error was a key play behind the pitcher.

“Teddy (Jamison) came in and pitched strikes,” Metro head coach Bobby Pierce said. “If we had made the play in the ninth, it never even gets (to the losing hit).”

The next play nearly ended the game as a Metro win, when a Lopers batter hit a ground ball to Metro shortstop Matt McConnell, who tagged second base to get the runner from first out before rocketing the ball to first baseman Josh Marner for a potential double play to finish the game.

The ball arrived too late, and the runner at third was able to score, making it 6-5 Metro, with two outs in the ninth. Backes came in to try to close the game, but the Cover hit blew the save.

“He hits a ground ball that’s just six inches out of the reach of Josh Marner,” Pierce said. “He hit a ground ball with eyes.”

In Metro’s half of the inning the Roadrunners offense shot blanks, going down 1-2-3 to Lopers’ reliever Ryan Seefus. Palmer had the final at bat with two outs, but a powerful hit on a full count came up just short of a home run.

The opening day of Metro’s season on Feb. 9 ended with a lighter mood, at least for the offense. A 15- 10 win over Kearney punctuated Pierce’s declaration that 2008 would be very different then the 17-35 2007 season.

“If we play like that more often, we’re gonna have a lot of success this year,” Pierce said.

In the third game, Palmer, the senior slugger, led the charge with a three RBI day, matched by Metro freshman outfielder Brennan Brown with three of his own in his inaugural collegiate game.

Roadrunners All-RMAC catcher and senior captain Reece Gorman couldn’t match his teammates scoring, but he added two RBI on two hits in the 15-run output.

“We went on good pitches,” Pierce said of the offense during the weekend. “We controlled the count well offensively.”

The pitching didn’t fare as well. Although Metro transfer Steven Green earned the win, he allowed five runs in five innings for his first Roadrunner victory.

Another transfer pitcher, Joel Lockhart, had a rough game in his first start Sunday, allowing seven runs in a 13-6 loss.

“He went out, and he didn’t pitch to what his capability is,” Pierce said of Lockhart.

Overall Pierce liked the level of the play and is excited to see what players come to the fore. However, even though the games are nonconference, losing in the ninth inning to end the weekend is hard.

“It’s frustrating,” Pierce said, “You can dominate somebody for eight innings, and you make one little mistake, and it becomes a loss.”

At 1-2 for the season, the Roadrunners continue their home stand with four games against Hastings Feb. 16-17 at Auraria Fields.