Rough AMC Tournament opener for Eutectics as Eagles roll

SPRINGFIELD, MO – UHSP sent their ace to the hill in the opening game of the AMC Postseason Tournament on Monday afternoon against 4-Williams Baptist. It was a rough outing for Barrett Lohman from the beginning as the Eagles hit him early, took a 6-0 lead through three innings and were never challenged in what turned out to be a 12-2 win for WBU in seven innings. Lohman had a tough time locating pitches as the Eagles hit consistent line-drive base hits in building the big early lead.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

4-WILLIAMS BAPTIST 12, 5-UHSP 2 (7 INNINGS)

• UHSP opened the game with Brandon Gibbs reaching on an error, but they stranded him in scoring position. Williams Baptist plated two in the first as Gavin Mink singled with one out and then Mari Thomas and Skylar Morrison had back-to-back RBI doubles to left.
• The Eagles went up 3-0 in the second when Mink laced a triple to center to drive in Will Riley.
• In the top of the third, UHSP got a one-out double from Gibbs who advanced to third on an error. Holden Campbell was hit by a pitch to put runners at the corners with one out. With Nolan Harding at the plate, Campbell took off for second trying to draw a throw from WBU pitcher Dawson Cloud. Keeping an eye on Gibbs at third, Cloud's throw to second was late as Campbell was safe, but Gibbs took off for home and got caught in a rundown eventually getting tagged out. Instead of second and third and one out, Campbell was at second with two outs. Harding grounded out to third to end the threat and the Eagles still led 3-0.
• Lohman got into more trouble in the home half of the third as a double, walk and single loaded the bases. Brenden Campbell would follow with another walk to make it 4-0 and Cade Parks singled to center to drive in two to make it 6-0.
• After a pair of RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth gave the Eagles an 8-0 lead, the Eutectics got on the board in the seventh. With Caden Buxton and Jackson Hewitt aboard, Ethan Harrell roped a triple down the rightfield line to make it 8-2.
• Williams Baptist scored four times in the home half of the seventh to end it as Morrison drove in the game ending run with a single.
• Lohman took the loss (5-5) as he pitched 5.2 innings. He allowed eight runs, seven earned on ten hits while walking three and striking out four.
• Gavin Long and Logan Stribling finished it off for UHSP.
• Cloud saved the WBU bullpen as he tossed all seven innings allowing those two runs on six hits with a strikeout.
• The Eagles advance to get a shot at the overall top-seed of the tournament, 1-Columbia at 6:00p on Monday night.

NEXT UP:

The Eutectics (21-21, 12-9 AMC) will turn to Tristan Calmes to try and keep their season alive when they play an elimination game at 12:00p on Tuesday. UHSP will play their second game in the AMC Tournament against 2-Mission who suffered an 11-3 loss to 3-Central Baptist. The Patriots took two of three from UHSP during the regular season with Mission winning by finals of 1-0 (11) and 6-2. The Eutectics' win came by a final of 7-3. Calmes' outing against Mission came in the 1-0 contest as he threw eight shutout, two-hit innings. He walked seven and fanned nine.