Published: May 12, 2008 02:17 am            

Grapeland comes up short in second game

By SALLY SEXTON

H-P Sports Writer



WHITEHOUSE — Despite a huge comeback after falling behind big early in the second game of Class A-Region III area series, the Grapeland Sandies came up three runs short, falling to Cushing 14-11 to force a third game in the best-of-three showdown.

The third game will be today at 7 p.m. at Whitehouse. Results of the game can be found in Monday’s edition, due to a 9 p.m. deadline.

The visiting Sandies took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Ruston Boyd drew a walk and scored on Jared Murray’s RBI single up the middle.

But the Bearkats, who struggled in the first game, came out swinging in the first inning Friday night.

Cushing took advantage of two walks and two wild pitches to score Clint Murdock and Jordy Gattas for a 2-1 lead. The Kats drew two more walks to load the bases and Jimmy Sustaita drew another walk to force in Tyler Gresham for the third run of the inning.

Cushing continued the offensive assault in the second inning with a single, double and triple on two outs to score two more runs to go up 5-1.

Gresham, who hit the triple, then stole home to make it 6-1 and the Bearkats took advantage of a wild pitch and two errors to extend the lead to 11-1 by the end of the second inning.

In jeopardy of falling by the 10-run rule, the Sandie bats woke up. Ruston Boyd led off the third inning with a double and scored when Jared Murray reached on an overthrow to the first baseman.

Murray would come around to score three batters later when Ty Kellum drew a walk with the bases loaded to cut the lead to 11-3.

Grapeland continued the rally in the top of the fourth when the first two batters reached on a walk and a double.

Murray was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Devan Mayfield, who doubled down the left field line to drive in two more runs, trimming the lead to 11-5.

With two outs in the fourth, Kellum doubled to score Murray and Mayfield, cutting the lead down to four runs at 11-7.

The Sandies tied the game in the fifth inning when Austin Cheathum and Tony Taylor led off with back-to-back walks, setting up Boyd, who took the fourth pitch of his at-bat over the right field fence for a three-run homer, making it 11-10. Murray followed with a home run of his own to left field to tie the game at 11-11.

Despite the rally, the Sandies wouldn’t score again, and Cushing took advantage to score three runs in the bottom of the sixth on two singles and a throwing error to pull away and win the game.

Boyd went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBI and three runs scored.

Both teams exhausted their pitching with Cushing using five pitchers and Grapeland throwing four.

————

Sally Sexton may be contacted via e-mail at sports2@palestineherald.com

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.