Bombers blow back-to-back leads in heartbreaking fashion

By Chris Willis
Western Herald

The Battle Creek Bombers were feeling pretty good when they arrived home Saturday to face the La Crosse Loggers for a pair of games. The team was coming off of a four game road sweep.

Saturday night at C. O. Brown Stadium the Bombers jumped out to 7-1 lead heading into to the sixth inning. Before you knew it the visiting Loggers put up a five spot in the sixth, making the game a 7-6 Bomber advantage.

The Bombers added two insurance runs in the seventh to take a 9-6 lead, but the Loggers again fought back in the eighth with four more runs. Eventually the Bombers fell 10-9 in the ninth with a runner in scoring position.

The Bombers posted a season-high 18 hits, but the team’s four errors cost them the victory.

Sunday’s game ended in similar fashion. The Bombers had a 1-0 lead going into the seventh inning. The defense let the Loggers tie the game on an error for the second consecutive game.

Center fielder Nick Campbell drove in the first run of the game. Errors plagued the team again as the Loggers scored one in the seventh, two in the eighth and one more in the ninth.
The score was 4-1 heading to the bottom of the ninth.

The lead-off batter Matt Miraldi walked to start the rally. Back-to-back hits loaded the bases. Then third baseman Joe VanMeter grounded out while driving in a run. Then the Bombers had runners on second and third base trailing 4-2.

This is where things got tricky. Campbell was hit by the pitch and loaded the bases. The problem was Bombers’ manager Tom Fleenor and the entire fan base has seen a different play unfolding. It appeared that the pitch was thrown behind Campbell, and the runner scored from third, making it a 4-3 deficit.

An argument pursued between Fleenor and the umpire and it looked as though Fleenor would get tossed. “You’re changing the outcome of the game,” Fleenor yelled.

The team had to settle for bases-loaded with one out. The next batter, Greg Fujii (San Jose City College) hit a ground-ball to the pitcher creating a force out at home plate. Coach Fleenor shook his head in angst.

Up next, Western Michigan University’s Chris Lewis forced the pitcher to walk him with the bases-loaded and two outs to make the score 4-3.

Catcher, Parker Berberet stuck-out swinging to end the game.

The Bombers are now 18-10, and are in second place in the Northwoods South Division.

The team will welcome the Green Bay Bullfrogs to C.O. Brown Stadium Monday and Tuesday to try and change the recent home trend.

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Posted by HeraldAdmin on Jun 29 2009. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Cody Kimball
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