Miscues hurt Charleston in 8-3 loss to Scott City

sports@standard-democrat.com

CHARLESTON -- Despite dealing with a sluggish offense most of the afternoon, Charleston found itself within a run of visiting Scott City heading into the final two innings Tuesday.

Unfortunately for the Bluejays the Rams scored four insurance runs in their final two plate appearances to seal an 8-3 win.

"You cut the lead to a run, then we go give three more back," Charleston head coach Michael Minner said. "You can't do that against good teams. You have to have a shutdown inning. We didn't do a good enough job to pull out a victory. Hopefully tomorrow we'll bounce back."

Charleston's biggest problems came in the field against the Rams.

After holding Scott City to just one run and forcing them to strand five runners in the first two innings, three Bluejay errors helped Scott City earn three runs in the top of the third.

With the bases loaded and two outs, an infield error brought a runner home and allowed leadoff hitter Braden Cox a chance at the plate. Cox hit a two-run single to make it 4-0.

Charleston responded with a three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth when Scott City walked their eighth and ninth hitters.

A Dylan Baugh double put the Bluejays on the board before an error on the infield plated two more runs to close Charleston's gap to a run, 4-3.

Scott City wasted no time in distancing themselves from the Bluejays once again. A Drew Short double plated the first run of a three-run sixth while singles from Jordan Kluesner and Dylan Keller brought in the next two. Another Charleston error in the seventh allowed Trent Pobst to single in one final run to make up the 8-3 final.

"All of the sudden it just got serious," Rams' head coach Jim May said of the Bluejays' comeback. "We've kind of been doing that here lately. We just kind of messed around until we need to go. We have to start going from the get-go, but Charleston's pitcher did a really good job. He threw a good game."

Outhitting Charleston 11-3, Scott City was led by Cox's 3 for 5 effort that included three runs batted in. Keller was 2 for 4 while Short and Caden Hilleman each doubled.

Charleston got hits from Baugh, Braxton Housman and Blake Simmons.

Scott City second baseman Hunter Copeland scoops up a groundball against Charleston Tuesday at Hillhouse Park in Charleston. (Brent Shipman photo)

Scott City second baseman Hunter Copeland scoops up a groundball against Charleston Tuesday at Hillhouse Park in Charleston. (Brent Shipman photo)

Though he takes the loss, Charleston starter Bruce Simmons worked around several of the defense's five errors forcing Scott City to strand 11 runners. The Bluejays stranded six runners themselves.

Simmons went all seven innings where he gave up all 11 hits, two walks and struck out five.

"You're not going to beat anyone like that," Minner said of his team's fielding mistakes. "We competed at times, but we gave them four runs. There should have been four taken off the board and I told our guys we're just a little too soft to make those plays. Right now we're on our heels and afraid to make mistakes. You have to get your nose in there and want to make plays. We're pretty young, but right now we have to find some guys that do some baseball things."

Jordan Kluesner earned the win in five innings of work. He allowed three hits, three walks and fanned six.

Far from finished for the week, the Bluejays will have a busy next couple of days. They'll host Delta today at 4:30 p.m., in a make-up game before playing Hayti and Sikeston on Thursday.

Against Sikeston, they'll pick up where their game last week was called due to rain. That's with the Bulldogs up 8-0 in the top of the fifth, with runners on second and third and no outs.

On Friday Charleston will host Greenville at 6:30 p.m. playing five teams in four days.

"We got the chance to play a lot of baseball," Minner said. "The weather looks good so hopefully things will work in our favor where we can get in a groove and do some things better. Hopefully some guys will get some experience and we'll do some things."

Scott City 013 003 1 - 8 11 2

Charleston 000 030 0 - 3 3 5

WP -- Jordan Kluesner. LP -- Bruce Simmons. Multiple hitters: Braden Cox 3-5, Dylan Keller 2-4. 2B -- (S) Drew Short, Caden Hillemann; (C) Dylan Baugh.