Griffins Rally In The Ninth But Come Up Short Against Carthage

ST. LOUIS, Mo.--  Defensive miscues proved costly for the Griffins in the series finale against Carthage as the Red Men came away with the 10-9 win.

The Griffins (8-9), committed a season-high six defensive errors on the day. Offensively, the team posted nine runs on 14 hits. Jonathan Hoevelmann extended his hitting streak out to four after going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. He also stole three more bases, giving hime 10 on the week and 13 on the season. Nick Kenny also went 3-for-5 and added an RBI of his own.

Michael Puckett, Jr., and Braeden Dobbs provide the power as both homered for the first time in their collegiate careers. On the mound, starter Brian Wacha allowed seven runs (three earned) in 5.0 innings of work and struck out a career-high six.

Carthage (10-2), meanwhile, totaled 10 hits and they were paced by Clayton Taylor going 2-for-5 with a run scored and three RBI. On the mound, reliever Chris Pedrak got the victory as he went 2.0 innings, allowing one run and striking out three.

In the first, the Griffins got on the board. Michael Golich walked and moved his way over to third on a stolen base and passed ball. Hoevelmann followed with a walk, then the duo executed the double steal, allowing Golich to score.

After a wild pitch, Ryan Shocker hit a sacrifice-fly, allowing Hoevelmann to touch home and make it a 2-0 game.

In the top half of the second, though the Griffins committed four errors, allowing five runs to come across and give the Red Men a three-run lead.

Fontbonne got one of those runs back on Puckett, Jr., sacrifice-fly, however, in the fourth, Taylor hit a 2-run shot and that extended the advantage out to 7-3.

The Griffins stayed right with Carthage in the fifth. Puckett, Jr., got things going with a two out walk. He went to score on Gus Purschke's double to left. Then, Nick Kenny traded places with Purschke, hitting a double of his own and now it was a 7-5 game. 

Each team scored one run in the sixth and Carthage added another in the seventh, on a Griffins error, making it 9-6. In the eighth, Dobbs stepped in as a pinch-hitter and he ripped a solo homer to right, narrowing the deficit down to 9-7.

In the ninth, Myles Farley hit an RBI single to center, plating Ryan Kramer, who reached base on an error. However, the Griffins made it interesting in the home half.

Puckett, Jr., led off with a solo homer to left. Later in the inning, with two on, Dobbs doubled to center and that scored pinch-runner Brandon Hinson, making it 10-9.

Carthage was forced to make a pitching change with the game-winning run on second base and just one away for Fontbonne. The team brought in David Woods and he got the final two outs to give Carthage the series sweep.

Fontbonne returns to action this weekend against Blackburn in its first SLIAC games. First-pitch of the doubleheader on Saturday will be thrown at 1 p.m.

Fans make sure to stay updated on fontbonnegriffins.com throughout the year for full updates and recaps on the Griffins baseball team.