MOUNT WASHINGTON - The inability to come up with timely hits proved to be the downfall of the Grayson County JV baseball squad as they dropped a pair of summer league games to Bullitt East Thursday evening.

Because of KHSAA rules governing summer play, both teams played under “assumed” names. Rules say teams playing in the summer cannot be identified by the schools' regular mascot names. So the Cougars became the Pumas, while Bullitt East, normally the Chargers, became the Stampede.

Regardless of who was who, the Stampede was able to score runs while the Pumas could not. In the first game, East won 5-2, while they took the second game 2-1.

GAME ONE

In the first five-inning game, Grayson County could manage only one run on five hits and stranded seven base runners. Starting pitcher Alphonso Soto struggled with his control throughout the game and had great difficulty holding runners close, especially in the opening inning when the Stampede had four stolen bases.

The Pumas put two runners on base after two were out in the first inning on a Soto double and a walk to Shane Goff, but Stampede pitcher Kyle Etheridge struck out Kenny Hewes to end the inning.

The Stampede then scored three times in the bottom of the inning to take charge. Soto hit leadoff batter Justin Jacobsen, who then stole second and third. A walk and another steal put runners at second and third before the first run scored on a single by catcher Robbie Gibson.

Etheridge helped himself by singling to left to drive in the second run, then the third run of the inning scored on a passed ball.

Grayson County got on the board with a run in the second inning, but missed the chance to get more. Joey Henry was hit by a pitch leading off the inning. Left fielder Christian Higdon followed by ripping the first pitch into left-center for what looked to be a solid single. However, the ball took a crazy hop, high over the head of Jacobsen in center field and rolled to the fence. Henry scored and Higdon wound up at third with a triple.

Third baseman Steven Jones followed by hitting a sharp liner toward left. Shortstop Cody Braden was able to glove the line drive for the out, then was able to make the double play when Higdon broke for the plate on contact.

That turned out to be a big mistake as Tyler Hill followed with a single to left. Etheridge was able to work out of the inning by getting Ethan Meredith on a grounder to third.

The Pumas threatened again in the fourth when Hewes doubled with two outs, but Etheridge got Joey Henry on a pop up. In the fifth, two errors and a single by Meredith put runners at the corners, again with two outs, but Etheridge ended the game by getting Dillon Willis to pop out to the catcher.

East had scored a pair of insurance runs in the fourth inning, both of them unearned. An error and a walk put runners at first and second, and both runners moved up on a ground out. With two outs, left fielder Chaz Jackson singled in one run, and the other run scored on another passed ball.

GAME TWO

Sophomore Steven Jones pitched well enough to get a win in this game, but again got no run support. Jones allowed just four hits and two runs, one of them unearned.

Grayson County put runners in scoring position in the first, third and fourth innings, but could not get that key hit to drive anyone in. They finally broke through for a run in the fifth inning, but left the bases loaded to absorb the loss.

Back-to-back singles by Brett Lindsey and Soto put runners at first and second with just one out in the first inning, but Stampede pitcher Zac Moran struck out Goff and got Hewes on a hard-hit come-backer to get out of the inning.

In the third. Meredith walked and stole second base with one out, but Willis struck out and Braxton Williams popped out to end that threat. In the fourth, Lindsey singled to right with one out and advanced to second when the right-fielder bobbled the ball in the corner.

Soto followed by popping out to center field and Goff struck out looking and Moran once again was able to escape.

East scored without the benefit of a hit in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Shortstop Joey Bernard walked with one out, stole second and third, then scored on an infield out by first baseman Ryan McClure.

The Stampede added an unearned run in the fourth to make it 2-0. With one out, McClure reached base when Puma shortstop Brady Clemons fielded a gounder cleanly, but threw low to first. McClure went to third on a double by left fielder Braden Hanna, then scored on an infield single by Cody Braden.

The Pumas finally scored in the fifth and were in great position to tie or take the lead, but could not get it done. Hewes singled leading off and went to second on a wild pitch. Henry walked, but was forced at second on a ground ball off the bat of Higdon for the first out.

Higdon then stole second base to put runners at second and third, before Jones popped out for the second out. Hill was hit by a pitch to load the bases, then Hewes scored and both runners advanced a base on a passed ball.

Meredith walked to load the bases one more time, but Moran closed out Grayson County by getting Willis on strikes.

News-Gazette Sports Reporter

dbrown@gcnewsgazette.com