Hawks bounce back to gain split at Lorain County
The Hocking College Hawks baseball team traveled to Sandusky today to take on the Lorain County Community College Commodores at Sports Force Park.
In Game 1 the Hawks had a seven run lead that slipped away and lost to the Commodores 12-11. Despite the loss, the HAwks did collect six hits in the high-scoring affair. Unfortunately, the Commodores had 13 hits on the way to victory.
Hocking got on the board in the first inning after Ian Ellis hit a 2-run home run to left field. The Hawks then added to their early lead in the top of the second inning after Mason Wagner doubled home Johnny Plaugher, and Jadin Cullen hit a sacrifice fly that scored Wagner after he had moved to third on a wild pitch. After the Commodores pushed two runs across the plate in the bottom of the third inning, the Hawks got hot again as Plaugher tripled to start the inning and Wagner followed that up with a 2-run home run to center field. After adding a run in the fifth and giving up two runs in the bottom half the Hawks got things going again in the sixth as Jaden Cullen was hit by a pith, Mark Abel walked, Ronnie Rowley walked, Cullen scored on an error by the Commodores catcher and then Keith Tabor delivered with a 3-run home run to left field to increase the Hawks lead to 11-4. In the bottom of the sixth the Commodores were able to push four runs across the plate on five hits. The Hawks held on to the lead at 11-8 going into the bottom of the seventh when the Commodores scored four more runs on three hits, two walks, and two errors to make the final score 12-11.
Micah Morrison took the loss on the hill for the Hawks as they fell to 3-13, 1-4 in conference play.
The Hawks rebounded in game 2 as the Hawks bats were on fire. Getting a 14-0 win in five innings. Keith Tabor led the attack going 3-3 with a double, four runs scored and 2 RBI. Rowley went 2-3 with a Home Run, 3 runs scored, and 2 RBI. Ellis also went 2-3, with a run scored and 2 RBI.
Sophomore Nick Reed took the mound for the Hawks and delivered a gem of a performance. Reed threw a complete game giving up one hit over five innings, walking one and striking out six while improving his record to 2-0.
The Hawks return to Sports Force Park this Friday and Saturday to take on the Terra State Titans in a four game series. First pitch both days will be at 1:00pm ET.
Photo credit to Emily Hanes