AUSTIN
The initial deficit proved far too severe to surmount.
Despite narrowing the game to within a pair of runs — and having a shot at tying or taking the lead in the seventh inning — Seymour’s baseball team fell short to Austin, 11-9, on Saturday.
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In the top of the first inning, Alan Perry hit an RBI double and Seth Maki sacrificed to give Seymour (8-4) a 2-0 lead.
That advantage didn’t last long for the Owls, as they gave up eight runs in the bottom of the first.
An RBI single and two-run double gave the Eagles (10-4) a 3-2 lead before Ty McCory loaded the bases with one out.
A hit-by-pitch and RBI single pushed the Eagles’ lead to 5-2 before McCory was substituted for Hunter Ahlbrand on the mound with the bases loaded and two outs.
Ahlbrand walked one run in, and gave up a two-run hit, before the bleeding stopped at 8-2.
After a scoreless second inning, Michael Knecht hit an RBI single and Devin Hill blasted a two-run double to center field to bring the Owls back within striking distance at 8-5.
In the bottom of the third, Austin scored runs on an error and wild pitch to go up 10-5.
Both teams added runs in the fifth inning, with Perry hitting an RBI single, before the Owls got hot in the sixth.
With two outs in the sixth, Perry and A.J. Boshears got on base with hits. Maki, with the next at-bat, slammed a two-run single to center field before Knecht hit a double.
Following a change in Austin’s pitching, Maki added another run for SHS by scoring on a wild pitch.
After Trace Benson held the Eagles scoreless in the bottom of the sixth, Seymour had a chance to steal the game in the seventh down 11-9.
A pair of walks put runners on base, and a wild pitch moved them to second and third. The Eagles then intentionally walked Perry. While Boshears made contact into the infield, the Eagles snuffed it out and ended the game on a double play.
“I’m proud of the effort they gave today and the fact they didn’t give up,” Owls coach Jeremy Richey said. “I’m not proud of their performance, we were not good in some areas. The way they battled says something about us. The next time we’re in that situation, we will have the experience and hopefully change that outcome.”
The Owls finished with nine hits. Perry and Knecht each totaled three on the afternoon.
Richey said that the slow start doomed the team.
“We were wild on the mound and they got a few hits,” he said. “We just couldn’t weather the storm until it got to eight runs. Hunter came in and gave us some quality innings and Trace Benson came in during a tight spot and gave us a chance.
“There are a lot of good things to take out of today, but we’re dissapointed in the outcome. That first inning just killed us.”
Richey said that he needs more out of his starting pitchers.
“Our starting pitching has not been very good outside of Alan lately,” Richey said. “We’re walking too many batters, hitting people, losing confidence, and getting hit a lot because we’re not throwing our best stuff. We need to have better starting pitching than we’ve had the past few games — outside the Columbus North game. We’re going to throw the same guys out there. We know they can do it.”
Seymour will host Borden on Tuesday.