Photo by Jeff Barrett
By Jose Briseno
The Utah State University Eastern Eagles were unable to capitalize on early baserunners and were defeated 11-2 and 11-1 in the final doubleheader against Cochise College last week.
Cochise scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the first on a single to center field. The Apaches added another run in the bottom of the second to build a 2-0 lead over the Eagles.
Eastern got on the board in the top of the fourth inning as Luke Erickson drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Tyler Nelson. Kaden Davis singled to center field to drive in Davis Kirby, but back-to-back strikeouts stranded Eastern with bases loaded.
Cochise answered in the bottom half of the inning with two more runs to take a 4-2 lead after the fourth inning. An Eastern error in the bottom of the fifth scored four runs for the Apaches, who would later add another run to take a 9-2 lead. Cochise would add two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to give the final score of 11-2.
Tyler Fitch, Westin Corless and Conner Bancroft saw time on the mound for Eastern. Kaden Davis led the Eagle bats with two hits in the game.
Game two of the doubleheader had a similar start to the game for Cochise. The Apaches scored a run in the first and second innings to take an early 2-0 lead. Cochise scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-0 lead.
Eastern finally found the scoreboard in the top of the fifth as Seth Nate hit a sacrifice fly to score Gavin Douglas from third. It was not enough to gain momentum, however, as the Eagles eventually fell 11-1.
Four different Eagles were able to record a hit as just five hitters reached base safely. Wayland Crane, Owen Tuescher and Aiden Taylor tossed from the bump for Eastern.
“We shot ourselves in the foot,” said head coach Kirk Haney. “We had chances to keep ourselves in the games, we just weren’t able to make the plays necessary to do so.”