Pitching woes continue to hamper Red Devils

By

Sports

April 12, 2011 - 12:00 AM

COFFEYVILLE — Pitching was the concern going into the season for Allen County Community College’s Red Devils.
Head coach Val McLean knew the ACCC baseball team would have to have some luck and stay away from injuries, especially on the pitching staff, to contend in 2011. Unfortunately, the luck hasn’t been there and injuries have for the Red Devils.
“Losing four pitchers to Division I programs right before school started put us in a bind. We were short on pitching and looked to some position players to do double duty and pitch for us,” McLean said. “But the strain has been too much.”
Allen County returned from a Jayhawk Eastern Division weekend series at Coffeyville Community College with a 1-3 mark. That dropped the Red Devils to 5-19 in conference play and 12-23 overall.
“It’s been a disappointing season so far. We’ve battled but we just don’t have enough pitching,” McLean said. Freshman right-hander Kaleb Clark is out for the season with an arm injury which requires surgery.
One of the pitchers having some “bad luck” is Cody Wren. Wren limited Coffeyville’s Red Ravens to six hits and only walked one batter in seven innings Friday afternoon. Wrest struck out five.
“Cody pitched well enough to win. And he has been throwing well all spring,” McLean said, but the Red Devils lost 2-1. Four of those six hits by the Ravens came in the sixth and they produced two runs.
Allen County scored a run in the the first inning. Riley Price singled and moved over on a bunt by Bryce Williams. Nick Fountain doubled to center field with two gone to drive in the run.
Fountain also had a single in the game. Brad Alberts and Travis Stafford each had a double.
Coffeyville led 2-0 after six innings in the second game Friday and ended up winning the nine-inning contest 8-0. Dylan Bowman took the pitching loss for ACCC, going 62⁄3 innings and allowing six runs on seven this and five walks and striking out five. Zak Mickens pitched 11⁄3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk and had two strikeouts.
Garret Hess hit a single and a a double and Price had two singles. Michael Schell and Curtiss Bunch each had a single.
The Red Devils came back on Saturday to claim a 6-5 win in the first game. Nick Fountain, who is one of those position players pitching for ACCC this season, got the win. Fountain helped himself with a three-run home run in the first inning. It was Fountain’s eighth home run of the season.
Coffeyville scored single runs in the first three innings to tie the game. Allen County scored three runs in the fifth to retake the lead.
Eric Seymour doubled and scored when Williams delivered a one-out RBI single. Schell was hit by a pitch then Bunch doubled in two runs.
The Red Ravens were able to score two runs in the sixth. After giving up a leadoff home run to Drew Burks, Fountain retired the next two batters. Fountain issued back-to-back walks and gave up a double before getting the final out.
Brandon Spear came on in relief of Fountain in the seventh. It was a 1-2-3 inning, with one strikeout. Fountain, who plays right field and  is a designated hitter, allowed four hits, walked five and hit a batter plus struck out five to go 3-2 for the season on the mound.
Another position player who pitches is Seymour. Seymour was the starting shortstop for the Red Devils in the weekend’s first three games. He came out of the bullpen in the fourth game in relief of ACCC starting pitcher Patrick Garner.
Garner went one inning, giving up three runs on two hits, three walks and one hit batter. He struck out two. Seymour took the loss on the mound after working 31⁄3 innings and allowing three runs on six hits and two walks. Spear pitched 32⁄3 innings and was charged with three runs on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
Coffeyville took a 4-1 lead. Allen County gained the lead on a grand slam by Williams in the fifth. But Coffeyville produced three runs in its half of the inning.
The Red Devils pushed across two runs in the seventh to make it an 8-7 game. Again, the Red Ravens scored an insurance run in the seventh. Allen County added a run in the ninth but that was it in the 9-8 loss.
Williams drove in five runs with his home run and a triple. Schell and Bunch each had a single and a double. Hitting two singles each were Price, Fountain and Kyle Johnston. Alberts, Hess and Stafford had a base hit apiece.
Allen County plays one nine-inning game against Ottawa University’s junior varsity Wednesday at Ottawa.
The Red Devils host Independence Community College for doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday. First pitch is 1 p.m. each day.

Related
April 29, 2014
February 21, 2012
February 24, 2011
February 19, 2010