WHSATHLETICS

Going in to face to the Hamburg Lions on Monday, March 13, 2006 the Warren Lumberjacks were harboring some heavy baggage. That baggage included one conference victory and three non-conference losses. The game would be hard fought on both sides. However, the Jacks were able to fend off the Lions and carry home their second conference win by the score of 4-2.

Matt Pace had an outstanding performance for the Jacks. He pitched six and two third innings allowing only 2 runs on 3 hits. Byran Church came in to get the last out. He walked the first guy he faced before getting M. J. Sartin to fly out to centerfield. Pace got the win while Church recorded a save.

The Jacks struck first getting one run in the second inning when Church crossed the plate on a Nick Holloway single. Hamburg rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the third. Pace walked Hamburg catcher Jonathan Ezell to start the inning. Ezell stole second and advanced to third off a ground ball to second. Ezell then scored after Church made an error on a ball hit by Ben Bergeron. Bergeron scored later, after stealing second, on a hit by Sartin. Pace was able to get Paul Sellers to ground out to second to end the inning. The game went on a standstill until the top of the sixth when the Jacks made their move. Holloway led off with an infield hit and advanced to second off a wild pitch. After Jarren Jefferson flied out to right, Rob Reep walked to put runners on first and second with one out. Johnny Roper pinched hit for Dusty Hardin and Roper came through with an RBI single to left that plated pinch runner Jay Wright to equal the score at 2-2. Michael Green hit a fielder's choice to third that got courtesy runner Taylor Wood out. That was the second out and the Jacks had runners on first and second. Wesley Cogdill then hit a ball to first and shortstop Zack Lauhon dropped the ball at second that would have forced out Green. Roper rounded third on this play and scored the leading run. Matt Pace came up and hit a ball to Lauhon and Lauhon under threw first and that allowed Michael Green to score. Church was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. The bleeding finally stopped though when Sellers got A. J. Avery to ground out to third. The score heading into the bottom of the sixth was 4-2 with the Lumberjacks on top. Hamburg didn't do anything in the sixth and the Jacks were also held scoreless in the top of the seventh. Pace was able to retire the first to batters of the inning before hitting a batter. Church was able to come in and keep the lead.

Pace ended the game with 7 strikeouts in six and two-thirds innings of work, thus making up for an 0 for 4 day at the plate. Holloway led the Jacks at the plate going 3 for 3 with three singles. Green, Jefferson, Church, and Roper all added a single for the Jacks. Sellers went seven strong for the Lions and only allowed two earned runs. Sartin led the Lions at the plate going 2 for 4.

The Jacks will play Star City on Thursday, March 16, 2006 at 4:00 p.m.