Iron Bucks pull away for 10-2 win over Sox
With the game tied, the Butler Iron Bucks' offense went into overdrive Friday night.
Beginning in the fourth inning, the team scored eight runs on eight hits over the next three frames to pull away in a 10-2 Tri-State Collegiate Baseball League victory over the Butler BlueSox at Michelle Krill Memorial Field at Historic Pullman Park.
Second baseman Brent Creehan got the spree started with a one-out triple in a two-run fourth inning that gave the Bucks a 4-2 lead.
His RBI single capped the scoring in a four-run fifth.
The lively bats, which produced 10 hits, including three extra-base hits, were a welcomed reprieve for the Bucks (4-10).
“We've been cold on offense for much of the season,” admitted Creehan. “Things picked up for us tonight, though. We were seeing the ball well and swinging at strikes. We were disciplined.”
Starting pitcher Gino Scott was the beneficiary of the outburst. He earned the victory after allowing two runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out 11 and walked three.
“He's not a power pitcher, but he mixes his pitches well,” said Bucks' manager Shawn Manning. “His last start (a win over DuBois) was almost identical to tonight.”
Two of the BlueSox' starting pitchers are currently on the bench with injuries. That has put pressure on the remaining hurlers, like Friday's starter Kevin Schott.
The southpaw battled through five innings, surrendering eight runs on eight hits.
“We've been ravaged by injuries,” said Sox manager Dan Helgert, who said six total players are currently out. “It started to escalate a few weeks ago.”
Travis Mowery took the mound for the Sox at the start of the sixth. He and Brody Cowan both worked two innings.
Schott and Mowery were both victimized by poor defense. Two errors in the second inning led to an unearned run. Two more miscues in the sixth led to a pair of unearned runs.
The Sox (5-11) scored a single run in the second and third innings.
Alex Altmire tripled in Nathan Stutz for the team's first run. Nick Reynosa's base hit drove in Ryan Lynn with the second.
Following Scott's departure, the Sox were unable to score on either Matt Gullotti or Chris Hochstetler, who pitched three and one innings, respectively.
“Our bats were horrible,” Helgert said. “Too many swings and misses.”
Iron Bucks 110 242 000 — 10 10 0 BlueSox 011 000 000 — 2 8 4 W: Gino Scott 5 IP (11K, 3BB). L: Kevin Schott 5 IP (3K, 4BB). Iron Bucks: Colin Cain 2-1B 3R, Dallas Hays 1B R RBI, Brent Creehan 1B 3B R RBI, Noah Meyers 2B R RBI BlueSox: Ryan Lynn 2-1B R, Alex Altmire 1B 2B RBI, Sean Furlong 2-1B Sunday: Iron Bucks vs. BlueSox, 7 p.m.
