Cougars Make Bulldogs
14th Straight Victim
On an off-hitting night, the Cougars had to manufacture a few runs and Spencer
Patton came up with a complete game pitching performance as they up-ended the Effingham St. Anthony Bulldogs by a score of
8-3.
After the Cougars scored the first run in the 2nd on a Nick Jones single, stolen
base, and fielding error by the Bulldogs, St. Anthony took a 3-1 lead in their half of the 3rd on 4 hits and
an error.
But as has been the case all year when the Cougars fall behind, they bounce right
back and tonight's 5-run fourth was the latest example of their never-say-die attitude.
Spencer Patton started the inning off with a ringing double into the right-centerfield
gap and when Trey Garrett reached safely on a 3rd strike wild pitch, the Cougars had runners at the corners with no outs.
Miles Yates followed with a perfectly excuted bunt down the 1st base line and Patton
beat the throw home to score the first run.
After two quick outs, Matt Hicks singled to tie the game and Brian Wodtka followed
with a 2-RBI double to left-center to put the Cougars up by two. Brock Adams then rifled a shot off the 3rd baseman's glove
and Wodtka scored when the ball ended up in foul ground in short left field.
The Cougars added another run in the 5th on a Patton walk, a sac bunt by Garrett,
another bunt single by Yates, and an RBI single by Shane Landreth. A foiled suicide squeeze and a pop-up to 1st ended the
threat, but the Cougars were not done.
Just for good measure, they tacked on one more run in the 6th when Wodtka led off
the inning with a slicing double down the rightfield line and Nick Jones knocked in pinch-runner Tyler Mulvany with a sac
fly after he had advanced to third on a pass ball.
Although the Bulldogs got to Patton for the 3 runs in the 3rd, he was nails when
he had to be in the other six innings. He recorded 10 strikeouts to go along with 4 walks and pitched himself out of
a couple of tough jams.
The Cougars are back in action again this Friday night when they travel to Dieterich
to battle the Maroons at 7:00 P.M. Both teams are 5-0 in conference play and this being the last conference game of the season,
the winner will be crowned the outright MTC champion.
BOXSCORE
