The Cougars headed south on Saturday with high hopes that they could compete with one of the top teams in all of Illinois Class A baseball in the Carmi Bulldogs and they did not disappoint.

 

Not only did they compete, they gained a split by winning the second game of a doubleheader 5-1 after falling in game one 6-3.

 

In the win, Spencer Patton pitched a complete-game four hitter and added his 11th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the first inning, to lead the way.

 

James Gile also dialed deep with a two-run blast of his own, it coming in the 5th with the Cougars clinging to slim 2-1 lead. After back-to-back walks to Tyler Mulvany and Nick Simmons, Shae Burton rapped out his third hit of the day, a double down the right-field line to score another.

 

Patton, who ran his record to 4-2 on the season, was nearly untouchable as he allowed an unearned run on nine strikeouts and two walks.

 

In game one, the Cougars jumped out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to an RBI single by Gile in the 1st and a two-run double Wade Crain in the 2nd.

 

But the Bulldogs tied it in the 4th and tacked on three more in the 6th to account for the final 6-3 a margin.

 

Starting pitcher Nick Simmons (3-3) absorbed the loss and even though he allowed only eight hits, the six walks and one hit batsman he surrendered played heavily in his demise.

 

Offensively, the Cougars were led by Wade Crain's two hits and two RBI's and a pair of hits and an RBI from James Gile.

 

The Cougars are back in action on Monday when they travel to Effingham St. Anthony to battle another team of Bulldogs.

Crain, Wa.....3 0 2  2 

Lane.....3 0 0  0 

Patton.....4 1 0  0 

Gile.....4 0 2  1 

Mulvany.....2 0 0  0 

 King.....1 1 0  0 

Slater.....3 1 1  0 

Total.....26 3 6  3 

 

 

Crain, Wa.....4 1 1  0 

Lane.....3 1 2  0 

Patton.....3 1 1  2 

Gile.....4 1 1  2 

Mulvany.....3 1 0  0 

Burton.....3 0 2  1 

King.....2 0 0  0 

Slater.....1 0 1  0 

Cain.....0 0 0  0 

Total.....26 5 8  5 

 

WP-Patton (4-2)

SC at Carmi.....Won    5-1