Even with all the money in the world, it’s hard to imagine that North Pike’s baseball team could buy a run right now.
In the past three games, the Jaguars have scored only three runs, including Friday afternoon when they were blanked 2-0 by Brookhaven.
“Yeah (it’s frustrating),” North Pike coach George Lott said. “We are just not manufacturing runs. We’re not hitting when we need to. We are getting people on base at times, but we are just not scoring.”
For the second time in as many days, North Pike (12-9) had several golden opportunities — the Jags loaded the bases in both the second and seventh innings — but failed to capitalize.
In the seventh, a hit batsman, a single and a walk put the game-winning run on first base, but Will Richardson hit a dribbler to Brookhaven pitcher J.B. Perkins to end the game.
Richardson had a strong effort on the mound, allowing two unearned runs in four innings of work.
North Pike finished the game with four errors.
“Today we beat ourself,” Lott said. “... but still, you are not going to win with a goose egg on the scoreboard.”
Brookhaven’s (18-2) first run came in the third inning when Drew Jones reached on a two-out throwing error by shortstop Anthony Durr. Andrew Culver ripped a single to center field that went under LaDarrius Coney’s glove to score Jones.
In the top of the fifth, right fielder Kaleb Hart bobbled a single by Houston Case, allowing Seth Porter to score to make it 2-0.
North Pike’s best scoring chance came in the third when Richardson hit two-out, a towering fly ball in between Brookhaven’s left fielder, shortstop and third baseman for a double.
Coney, who should have been running on contact and scored, advanced only to third. Brookhaven then intentionally walked Jesse Travis to load the bases and Jacob Fleming struck out to end the inning.
Coney, Dusty Brock, Richardson and Travis, the Jags’ first four hitters, all had hits Friday. The rest of the lineup (No. 5-No. 9) was only 1 for 14.
“We gotta get it out of our head and get up there and play baseball,” Lott said. “We are thinking way too much at the plate. I know these guys can do it. They’ve done it before this year. The last few games we are just not ready to mentally hit.”
The stiff competition hasn’t helped either. Purvis, who beat North Pike on Tuesday and Thursday, and Brookhaven have a combined 34-5 record.
Things don’t get any easier for North Pike as it plays Columbia (13-4) twice next week.
“We played well (Friday) and that’s kind of like a moral victory but we are tired of moral victories,” Lott said. “We need to win.”
