Miscues lead to loss

Walks, errors plague Cats in BRC opener

By Bob Burrows

The Wildcat baseball team couldn't take advantage of its opportunities while Rice Lake did.

The result was a 5-4 loss to the Warriors in the Big Rivers Conference baseball opener for both teams last Thursday in Rice Lake.

The Warriors managed just one hit off Wildcat pitcher Josh MacKinnon, but in the bottom of the fifth inning Rice Lake parlayed three walks and an error into three runs to erase a 4-2 River Falls lead and post a 5-4 win.

The Cats had nine hits in the game, but nine walks and five errors by the Wildcats gave Rice Lake enough to escape with the one-run win.

"When you don't throw strikes and don't make the plays, you're going to lose," River Falls coach Adam Kowles said. "When you walk nine guys and make five errors you're in big trouble."

The Cats jumped on the board right away in the first when lead-off hitter Travis Saumer singled, stole second and scored on a single by John Webb. After a double play emptied the bases, a base hit by Ryan Magee and back-to-back doubles by Jason MacKinnon and Jason Dineson scored two more runs to give the Cats a 3-0 lead.

Rice Lake pulled to within 3-2 on five walks and an error in the bottom of the first before Dan Wespetal singled in Dineson in the fourth to widen the gap to 4-2. But the Cats left the bases loaded in the inning and Rice Lake took advantage in the fifth by scoring three runs without a hit to post the 5-4 win.

"We really had a chance to break it open in the fourth," Kowles noted. "I think we hit the ball decent but our clutch hitting wasn't there."

Jason MacKinnon had two hits, including a double, and Saumer added two singles to lead River Falls at the plate. Dineson added a two-run double and Josh MacKinnon doubled but was left stranded at third in the third.

Josh MacKinnon took the loss on the mound despite not allowing an earned run. He allowed just one hit and struck out four, but walked nine and fell victim to five errors in the field over the first five innings. Jason MacKinnon retired the side in order, including striking out two of the three batters he faced, in the sixth.

Kowles said the Cats have to make the plays to keep them in the game.

"We're going to re-focus a little on fielding and out pitchers will work on their mechanics and we'll just keep going," he explained. "Every day we want to get better at hitting. If we keep improving the other things I think we'll be successful."

The Cats will look for their first BRC win of the season in their home opener Thursday against Eau Claire Memorial. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at Wunrow Field.