PROSPECT LEAGUE
RICHMOND, Ind. — The Richmond River Rats did something unusual against the Slippery Rock Thursday: they got the better of Sliders closer Mike Devine.
Devine surrendered four runs on five hits over 2 2/3 innings, including the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning, before giving up three more in the 10th inning in a 6-5 loss to the River Rats in Prospect League baseball.
The decision was the Sliders' fourth consecutive loss.
Slippery Rock (20-21), which had scored a pair of runs in the top of the 10th inning, jumped out to a 3-0 lead with single runs in the first, third and fifth innings, staking Sliders starter and Seneca Valley graduate Cory Mazzoni to the early lead.
Mazzoni struck out eight in five innings, allowing two runs on three hits, but he walked six batters. Devine, whose ERA ballooned to 2.95, struck out three and walked four.
On offense, Devine had a double, a single and drove in a run, as did teammates Charlie Kelly and Billy Messer. Matt Howard added two singles.
Butler graduate Josh Marchinoski pitched two hitless innings with two strikeouts and one walk before Devine came in to open the eighth inning.
Joseph Villegas and K. Long had a double, a single and an RBI apiece. Villegas drew three walks. Tyler. Bullock added a double and two RBI for Richmond (19-20).
Dubois County (Ind.) 9, Butler 6
HUNTINGBURG, Ill. — The Bombers rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to slip past the BlueSox Thursday.
Butler committed four errors and losing pitcher Trent DeLazzer surrendered those four runs, but none were earned.
Jacke Healey homered and drove in two runs for Butler, (19-20) while Butler High graduate Aaron Ordy had two RBI and Brian Billigen, Brian Youchak and Ryan McChesney each had two singles.
Dubois County (20-20), winners of their past four games, got a double and two singles from Mills Rogers, a double, a single and two RBI from Chadd Krist and Kyle Richardson, and two hits and an RBI from Sean Estand.
