Cougars Fall 2-1 to Dieterich
in Extra Inning Thriller
The Cougars traveled to Dieterich on Tuesday and the matchup between the two top teams in the MTC turned into
a pitching dual between the Maroons' Darin Worman and the Cougars' Tanner Bushue.
Bushue took a no-hitter and a 1-0 lead into the 7th, but the Maroons finally got to him when clean-up
hitter Nick Wendling lead off the inning with a double.
After a pop-up and a strikeout, catcher Brock Zumbahlen rifled a ball into the hole between 1st and 2nd, but
a diving play by secondbaseman Justin Armstrong prevented it from going into the outfield.
The ball scooted a few feet away preventing him from getting the runner at first and when he finally retrieved
it, the runner at second had rounded third and was headed for home.
Armstrong's throw was in the dirt, but catcher Zac Cain picked it clean and his diving attempt to tag
the runner was to no avail as he was ruled safe on the bang-bang play at the plate.
With the score now knotted at one run apiece, Bushue coaxed a groundout to short to end the threat and send
the game into extra innings.
Worman continued to baffle the Cougar hitters through his two extra frames before the Maroons finally pushed
across the game-winner in the 9th.
Bushue walked the lead-off hitter, but after a strikeout, saw him advance into scoring position on a fielding
miscue by the Cougar infield. After another strikeout, Maroon centerfielder Cody Hinterscher grounded a 1-2 pitch up the middle
to send the game-winning run towards home.
Cougar centerfielder Devin Hall made a strong throw to the plate, but another diving attempt by Cain to tag
the runner was also in vain as he was ruled safe on the second close play at the plate and the Maroons walked off
with the 2-1 victory.
Bushue took the loss, but allowed only 4 hits on 4 walks and 18 strikeouts. Worman was equally
as impressive as he allowed just one run on 8 hits, 3 walks, and 10 strikeouts.
The loss drops the Cougars 11-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference. They return to action on Friday
night when the host the Noble Wildcats at 7:00 PM.
