By By ROBERT BLANKENSHIP – Managing Editor
After getting off to a fast start that saw the T.R. Miller Tigers put together a 9-3 record, the past week was not as kind as the Tigers dropped four contests, including one area game and a doubleheader at UMS-Wright.
With the losses, the Tigers overall record stands at 9-7.
T.R. Miller 4, Northview 6
The Tigers took a 3-1 lead into the final inning of play against the Northview Chiefs at Tiger Stadium on March 31, only to get knocked out in the seventh when the Chiefs notched five runs to secure the win, 6-4.
The Tigers jumped on top early in the game. With one out in the bottom of the first, Brad Lannom notched a single. He moved to third on a basehit by Trent Davidson. With two out, Randy Holland hit a single that brought Lannom in to score.
The Chiefs tied the score in the top of the third on three consecutive base hits.
Both teams' pitchers performed well, as neither team put together a scoring threat until the bottom of the fifth inning when T.R. Miller recaptured the lead.
With two out, the Tigers displayed clutch hitting in scoring two runs. Brad Lannom reached on a fielder's choice. Lannom stole second and continued to third on a bad throw. Russell Bagwell came through with a double. Davidson followed by reaching on an error and Bagwell was able to score on a single by Holland. The inning ended with the Tigers holding a 3-1 lead.
The Tigers were three outs away from securing a victory when the Northview bats got hot. The Chiefs started the inning with three consecutive singles. A fielding error and another basehit led to the Chiefs putting five runs on the board and capturing a 6-3 lead.
With one chance to get back into the game, the Tigers put up a good effort in the bottom of the seventh. Joseph Turner led off with a basehit, but was called out on a fielder's choice off the bat of Lannom. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single by Davidson. However, the game ended with the Chiefs getting a groundball to the shortstop.
The Tigers put four pitchers on the mound during the contest. Alex Granade pitched two innings, giving up two hits and no runs while striking out one. Eli Cook followed, pitching two innings, giving up one earned run on three hits while striking out two. Lannom also got two innings on the mound, giving up only two hits while striking out two. Davidson pitched one inning, giving up four hits and four earned runs while striking out two.
Offensive leaders for the Tigers were Holland who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Davidson, 2-for-4 with one RBI and Lannom, 1-for-4 with three runs scored.
T.R. Miller 3, Clarke County 6
The Tigers gave up five runs to Clarke County in the fourth inning which led to a loss at Tiger Field on April 4.
Bats were quiet through the first two innings of the contest, until T.R. Miller made some noise in the bottom of the third.
With one out, Bryan Madden got things going with a single. He moved to second on a fielder's choice by Joseph Turner. Then, with two outs, Lannom stepped up and delivered a single that drove in the first run of the game.
However, the T.R. Miller lead did not last long as Clarke County's offense came to life in the top of the fourth. Three singles, one walk and several fielding miscues helped Clarke County to a big inning, scoring five runs.
T.R. Miller cut into the lead in their half of the fourth as Davidson stepped up and led off the inning with a solo homerun. A double play helped hold off the Tigers as the inning ended with Miller trailing, 5-2.
The Tigers continued to chip away in the bottom of the fifth. James Martin led off the inning by reaching on a fielding error by Clarke County. Martin stole second, moved to third on a single by Madden and then came home on a wild pitch. However, two strikeouts ended the inning with Madden on third and the Tigers trailing 5-3.
From there, pitchers took over the contest once again. Clarke County added an insurance run in the top of the seventh and went down quietly in the bottom of the inning.
The Tigers sent two pitchers to the mound in the contest. Granade pitched three innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits while striking out one. Kurt Prater pitched four innings in relief, giving up four runs on five hits.
Offensive leaders for the Tigers included Davidson who went 2-for-3 with a homerun and a single and Madden who went 2-for-3 with two singles and a run scored.
T.R. Miller 2, UMS-Wright 10
The Tigers had a tough time at the plate in the first game of a doubleheader played at UMS-Wright on April 5. The Tigers went hitless through four innings, which helped UMS to a 10-2 victory.
After holding the Tigers in the top of the first, UMS got on the board with a run on three hits in the bottom of the inning. The scored remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth when UMS stringed together a series of hits that helped bring three runners across the plate, giving them a 4-0 lead.
The Tigers got back in the contest in the top of the sixth with the help of some clutch hitting. After the first two batters of the inning were called out, Bagwell followed with a walk. Davidson also got on board with a single. Holland then singled, bringing home Bagwell for Miller's first run of the game. Prater also joined in with another single that brought Davidson home. A strikeout ended the inning with the Tigers still trailing, 4-2.
UMS pulled away from the Tigers in the bottom of the inning. Three singles, two walks and a triple led to six runs and a 10-4 lead.
The Tigers put two men on the top of the seventh, but were not able to score any more runs.
Lannom and Ryan Jackson each pitched for the Tigers.
Offensive leaders for the Tigers were Bagwell, 1-for-3 with one run scored; Holland 1-for-2 with an RBI; Davidson, 1-for-3 with one run scored and Prater, 1-for-3 with an RBI.
T.R. Miller 4, UMS-Wright 7
The Tigers fell behind early to UMS in the second game of the doubleheader were unable to get the offensive surge they needed for a comeback.
Miller took an early lead in the contest as the batters were able to score. Turner and Lannom got the game off to a fast start with consecutive singles. Bagwell also reached on a fielder error that also allowed Turner to score. Lannom then scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Holland, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
UMS was quick to take the lead away from the Tigers. The first three batters reached base. With the bases loaded, the UMS clean-up batter did his job as he launched a grand slam over the outfield fence.
UMS added another run in the third and two in the fourth to tighten their grip on the Tigers, 7-2.
The Tigers were able to muster a run in the sixth as Holland hit a double and scored on an error.
Bagwell scored the final run of the game in the seventh as he scored on a single by Davidson.
Eli Cook pitched 3 1/3 innings for the Tigers and J. Stanley came in as a reliever.
Offensive leaders for the Tigers were: Holland, 2-for-3 with one run scored; Turner, 1-for-3 with one run scored and Lannom, 1-for-3 with one run scored.