Published: May 13, 2008 11:45 pm            

Rams lose on the road to Salem, 4-3

By JACK CLARK

jackclark@mvn.net

SALEM - There are days when you get the bear. There are also days when the bear gets you. The Mt. Vernon Rams baseball team knows this to be true following their 4-3 loss at Salem High School on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference action against an old adversary.

The Rams watched as their 3-0 lead was compromised by a Wildcat run explosion in the fourth inning and a gut-wrenching way to end the game.

To get that lead, Mt. Vernon didn't waste any time getting some offense going.

In the top of the first inning, the Rams' Mike Swinnen and Klayton Hahn each singled and scored with some ground-ball help from Josh Sears.

Salem's Mike Meador led off the home half of the inning with a single, but was thrown out at second base, as Salem went down in order.

Mt. Vernon center fielder Ethan O'Neal led off the top of the second by going yard on the first pitch that he saw. The home run over the right center field fence was estimated at 320 feet and gave the Rams a more comfortable 3-0 lead.

The Wildcats went down in order in the second, thanks to a perfectly executed, 6-4-3 Rams double play. Ryan Quick to Klayton Hahn to Travis Carello.

Each team stranded a runner in the third inning.

In the top of the fourth, Mt. Vernon had an opportunity, but stranded yet another man on base.

Salem shortstop Patrick Flanagan singled to open the bottom of the fourth, then a walk was issued to Zach Bass. After Kody Moore singled to score Flanagan and Bass, Gavin Petrea was safe on a fielder's choice, but, Moore was thrown out at second. Jeffrey Tolliver then hit a two out soft looper into left center field which scored Petrea and Salem had tied the game 3-3.

The Rams stranded a runner in both the fifth and sixth innings, while Salem went down 1-2-3 in each frame.

Swinnen then smacked a one out double in the top of the seventh and advanced to third on a ground ball by Hahn, but Mt. Vernon couldn't get him in.

Wildcats pitcher Logan Bolton walked to open the bottom of the seventh inning. Blake Williams was tapped as a courtesy runner for Bolton. Williams took second on a wild pitch, then advanced to third on a single by Ryan Crouse. Joby Bryan's walk-off single scored Williams and ended the game.

Rams head coach Tim Holloway sees this loss as a "fork in the road" for his team, but says that he already knows the path that they will choose.

"This could be a turning point. We're either going to bounce back and get some momentum going or we can feel sorry for ourselves," said Holloway. "But this group of kids is not going to feel sorry for themselves. They're going to be fine."

Mt. Vernon had already suffered another painful loss to Centralia on Monday.

"We had a lot of positives yesterday (a loss to the Orphans at home) even though we didn't win," Holloway said. "We fought back and scrapped. Then, we came back today and got three runs in the first."

Rams pitcher Jim Mulvaney scattered five hits, struck out three and walked three in another valiant effort.

"Jim got a lot of ground balls today and kept their guys off balance," said Holloway. "Once again, he gave us a chance to win. Unfortunately, we didn't give him much run support."

Holloway said that he doesn't question his team's drive, but he knows what was missing.

"I though that we hustled. We were aggressive and we stole some bases," Holloway said. "We were in a position to score, we just didn't get the timely hit today and they did. That's just the way that this game goes sometimes. We have to get the timely hit. If we're going to win, that's what we have to do. I can't fault the kid's effort, I haven't done that one time this year."

Salem Wildcats coach Brian Lipe said that his players get charged up playing against Mt. Vernon.

"Every time that we play Mt. Vernon, Centralia or South Central, it becomes a big game. The kids look forward to it," said Lipe. "Mt. Vernon is a good club. They've had a pretty good season. We might be catching them at the right time, but, they kind of caught us at the right time, too. We haven't been playing real good, but we're trying to get better as a program and today was a big step for us."

Lipe also acknowledges the fact that his team had a little help in the fourth inning.

"We got a couple of breaks there when we got the three runs back," Lipe said. "But, we try to teach the kids to stay with the game and the game will take care of itself. As long as you give yourself a chance."

The Rams have three more non-conference games remaining on the 2008 schedule. Mt. Vernon will host Breese-Mater Dei on Thursday and will have a double header at Highland on Saturday.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.