The Craig County baseball team hung tough in Buena Vista last week but came out on the short end of a 6-5 score.
The game was tied at 1-1 after one inning before the Blues hung four on the board in the bottom of the second. Craig battled back with three in the top of the third, then tied the game with a run in the fourth to make it 5-5.
Parry McCluer regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth with an unearned run, and that would be the end of the scoring for either team. Craig had a man on third in the top of the fifth but Ryan Lucas was out at home trying to score on a passed ball. Craig left the potential tying run on second in the seventh after Brandon Swingle singled with two outs and moved to second on a passed ball, only to be stranded as a ground ball to second ended the game.
“We had some chances,” said Craig coach Brady Price. “If that ball in the seventh inning gets through we tie the game.”
Dakota Henderson had two hits and drove in two runs for the Rockets while Swingle had two hits and an RBI. Hunter Jones drew two walks and scored both times and Devin Hutchison made three sterling plays at shortstop to keep the Rockets in the game.
Henderson pitched the first three and a third innings and took the loss, allowing three earned runs. Jesse Brizendine relieved and was solid in relief, allowing no hits over two and two-thirds innings while striking out the side in the fifth.
With the loss the Rockets dropped to 1-6 on the season. After playing seven games in the first two months they’re scheduled to play five this week alone, including a doubleheader at Covington Monday, a single game at home against Eastern Montgomery today and a doubleheader at home against Narrows on Thursday.
“I hope we game these games in because it’s supposed to rain again,” said Price. “It’s just been one of those years.”
