Columbus East couldn’t get that one extra hit when it was necessary Thursday night.
The Olympians only had two hits in the game, but left eight runners stranded in a 3-2 baseball loss to visiting Franklin.
“We got some guys on. We had some really good at-bats. That’s kind of been the story the last few games. We just can’t get the runs in. We can’t get that one hit when we need it,” East coach Jon Gratz said. “I talked to our guys (after the game), and it’ll come. They’re getting there. I’m confident in our hitters that they’re going to start hitting consistently.”
The game was under a lightning delay for 65 minutes after the Grizzly Cubs (8-4) got a run in the top of the first inning. It happened when Carsten Bland singled. After stealing second, a couple of wild pitches sent him home.
Franklin added another run in the top of the second when Wyatt Mitchell walked and an Olympian error sent Mitchell home for a 2-0 lead.
East (4-7) got both runs back in the bottom of the third when it took advantage of a couple of Grizzly Cub errors to tie it at 2-2. Franklin scored the game winning run in the fifth when Bland stole third, and the throw went past third base for an error.
Drew Rotert took the loss for on the mound after relieving starter Ryker Stott, going four innings and allowing a run on one hit. A.J. Tindell had an infield single, and Marcus Wilkinson singled in the sixth for the only two Olympian hits.
East will compete in the Jasper Invitational Saturday.
