It’s still early, but the Bucks County Centurions (0-2) are certainly digging themselves a hole after losing to the Lehigh Carbon Cougars (3-2) by a score of 13-4 on April 1 in Newtown.
Cougars’ pitcher Terrance Reiss threw six innings in relief on only 81 pitches with three strike outs and one walk to secure the victory over the Centurions.
“I think we played pretty well as a team and we only had one error that evident, but other than that we played good,” Reiss said.
In the fifth inning the Cougars strung together five hits and a pair of walks that led to five runs that broke the game wide open. The Cougars totaled 12 hits as team including three from their infielder Justin Fizer, who had three RBIs to help power the offense.
The Centurions were not as lucky, as starting pitcher Robert Hayes would allow five runs in 4 2/3 innings on 75 pitches for the loss. The lineup was led by outfielder Joseph Aloia with three hits and three runs scored.
“It’s just our second game, but I thought they were able to make the plays in the field and we didn’t,” Aloia said.
The real problem for the Centurions in this game was the five errors they committed that extended innings and allowed several base runners to reach safely.
Hayes struggled with control in the first inning as the Cougars scored two runs off a walk and an RBI by first basemen Andrew Steigler which gave the Cougars an early 2-0 lead.
Aloia would help the Centurions get on the board scoring on a wild pitch after a leadoff double. Cougars’ starter Allen Umbenhaur started out wild as well, but got out of a bases loaded jam when the Centurions bounced into an inning-ending double play.
Errors would start to cost the Centurions in the third inning when Cougar’ outfielder Ryan Palsgrove and catcher Michael Tatascoire converted on a bases loaded situation for a pair of RBIs that pushed the Cougars ahead 4-1.
Aloia would make his presence felt again in the bottom of the inning when he singled and stole second to get into scoring position and eventually scurried home after an errant throw by Tatascoire.
But the big fifth inning saw Hayes hit the showers after giving up another run off the bat of Tatascoire. In relief, Bucks’ Andrew Check would only pour salt on the wound by allowing four more runs after a pair of RBIs by second baseman Lance Miller and Fizor for a 9- 2 lead.
The seventh inning would add more insult as the powerful combination of Miller and Fizer would strike again off Check to pull ahead 11-2.
With the game seemingly out of hand in the eight, head coach Jeff Cochran would go to his bench for a boost when Andrew Check delivered an RBI single to cut the lead to 11-3.
Yet, the Cougars would add some insurance runs in the ninth inning when Umbenhaur delivered a two-run double to give them a 13-3 lead, slamming the door on any hope the Centurions might have garnered. Clearly Umbenhaur had more luck after being moved behind the plate than he did on the mound.
The Centurions would put another run on the board when first basemen Dustin Singer would single home a run, but could not build on the momentum as Reiss would finish the game.
After the game Cochran was seemingly disgusted with his team’s sloppy play and did not pull any punches.
“We played about as bad as you could possibly play. We beat ourselves with those five errors and they capitalized,” he said.