LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Allen Community College’s Red Devil baseball team had a tough start, especially on the defensive end, to the 2014 season over the weekend.
Allen committed a combined 14 errors in dropping all three games to host Arkansas Baptist.
The Red Devils fell 3-1 and 8-3 in a doubleheader Saturday and 7-3 on Sunday.
Keil Stauffer was Allen’s tough-luck loser in the opener, surrendering only one run in 3 1/3 innings.
Three of the Red Devils’ errors led to a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth, breaking a 1-1 tie.
Sean Maruo’s second-inning single drove in Drew Walden for Allen’s only tally of the contest.
Stauffer allowed one hit with two walks and two strikeouts and a pair of unearned runs. John Prohaska came on in relief and allowed one hit and one walk with three strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.
Trever Kreifel had a pair of hits, including a double. Levi Ashmore, Trey Francis and Maruo had singles.
THE BUFFALOES took control early in Saturday’s second game, leading 3-0 after one and 4-0 after two.
A Maruo double and walks to Ashmore and Chase Egelston loaded the bases for Allen in the top of the third. Kyle Foster’s single scored Maruo. A bases-loaded walk to Jacob Waters drove in Ashmore. Allen’s rally ended abruptly; the next two Red Devil batters struck out with the bases loaded and the tying runs in scoring position.
Arkansas Baptist pushed its lead to 8-2 before Allen capped the scoring with a single run in the sixth. Ryan Winter drove in Cole Slusser with a single.
Kreifel was saddled with the loss, allowing three hits and three walks in three innings of relief. Only two of his five runs were earned.
Zachary Maskill allowed five hits in two innings with five strikeouts. He allowed three runs, none of which were earned. Logan Bausch pitched a shutout inning as well. He allowed one hit.
Foster had two singles for Allen. Maruo followed with a double. Winter singled.
SUNDAY’S finale followed a similar pattern. Arkansas Baptist took an early 1-0 lead and maintained its advantage until tacking on three in the sixth and one in the seventh.
Allen didn’t record its first hit until Francis’ leadoff single in the top of the fifth.
