The Roadrunners baseball lost a double header, 12-1 and 8-3, on March 2 against Crowder College Roughriders from Neosho in the Region 16 opener at Dey Field in Liberty Park Stadium.
In the first game, the Roughriders scored in the second with a three-run home run. SFCC led off in the bottom of the second with a pair of singles from sophomore first baseman Tanner Cantrell and freshman outfielder Jacob Clifton, both runners advanced on a wild pitch with one out but left both runners stranded.
Crowder tacked on two runs in the fourth inning to extend their lead 5-0. SFCC got an RBI single from freshman infielder Steven Bradbury that scored freshman catcher Blake Ford to make the score 5-1.
Crowder scored a run in the sixth and six more in the seventh for the 12-1 win. Freshman pitcher Jake McMahill started for SFCC. He pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on two hits for the loss.
In game two, SFCC scored first when leadoff hitter Zack Ehlen hammered a triple into the gap in right centerfield in the first inning. Bradbury hit the first pitch into centerfield to score Ehlen and put SFCC up 1-0.
The Roughriders scored three runs in the fourth inning to take the lead and added a run in the sixth.
Roadrunners sophomore starting pitcher Payton Rawlins was lifted from the game after 5 1/3 innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits. SFCC added a run in the bottom of the sixth. Crowder put the game away with four runs in the eighth inning. The Roadrunners added one run in the ninth.
On March 4, SFCC traveled to Neosho for another double header against Crowder. SFCC scored two runs in the first inning. The Roughriders answered with three in the bottom of the first to take the lead and went on to win the first game 12-2.
SFCC got their offense going early in the second game scoring three runs in the second inning. Crowder answered with two runs in the bottom of the third. SFCC added one in the top of the fourth.
The Roughriders added a run in the bottom of the fifth. SFCC scored their final run in the sixth and lost 8-5 after Crowder scored five runs in the eighth.
SFCC is now 3-6, 0-4 in Region 16 on the season.
David Rohrbach
SFCC Athletics