Playing the Dulles Vikings for the third time this season, the Bulldogs came up just short, losing 10-8 in a meeting of the third-place teams in the Alvin Yellowjacket Tournament at Nolan Ryan Field.

The Vikings had things go their way early, scoring 3 runs in each of the first two innings. The Bulldogs countered with one a run of their own in the bottom of the first, on a leadoff walk to SS Barrett Barnes, a single by CF Daniel Rockett, a walk to 3B P.J. McKinley, and a sacrifice fly by LF Aaron Macrynuk.

Austin starter Andrew Keplinger held the Vikings scoreless in the third and gave up an unearned run in the fourth, making the score 7-1. After that, the Bulldog bats came alive in the bottom of the inning, putting together a 4-run, 2-out rally. After hot-hitting Ryan Dalton hit a one-out double, Keplinger helped his own cause with a two-out single to right center to score Dalton. Barnes followed with a walk, then Rockett smoked a line shot down the third base line that nearly took off the glove of the Vikings’ leaping third baseman, who turned a triple into the corner into a run-scoring single. Adam Shank followed that with a double into the right field corner to score two more. After moving up to third on a passed ball, Shank apparently scored on another passed ball by jumping over the pitcher’s glove to avoid a tag at the plate, but the umpire didn’t see it that way; the Bulldogs, however, had tightened the score to 7-5.

Dulles came back in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs, but the Bulldogs answered again with 3 more runs of their own. Travis Goodrich, subbing into left field, led off with a blast over the left center field wall for a leadoff homer. After a great grab by the second baseman to rob Miller of a hit, Dalton drew a 4-pitch walk and Blake Doerr singled, running his consecutive hit streak to 5. Keplinger helped his cause again, singling home another run. After Barnes was hit to load the bases, Adam Shank worked a 2-out walk to drive in the third run, bringing the Bulldogs to within a run, 9-8.

Dulles tacked on an unearned insurance run in the top of the sixth against reliever Scott Viktorin, making it 10-8, which would be the final score. The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning on a single by PH Kyle Garoni and walks to Dalton and Keplinger, but the boys were unable to capitalize.

Offensive highlights:

· 11 hits for the Bulldogs: 2 each for 2B Ryan Dalton (including a double), CF Daniel Rockett, and P Andrew Keplinger; a HR for LF Travis Goodrich; doubles by 1B Adam Shank and 3B P.J. McKinley; and singles for RF Blake Doerr and PH Kyle Garoni.

· 8 RBIs on the game: three for Shank, two for Keplinger, and one each for Rockett, Goodrich, and LF Aaron Marcynuk.

· Travis Goodrich collected his second career home run, victimizing the same Dulles pitcher he went yard on as a freshman.

Pitching highlights:

· Andrew Keplinger (0-1), 5 innings, 2 K’s, 6 BB’s, 9 hits, 9 runs, 7 earned runs.

· Scott Viktorin, 1 inning, 1 K, 1 BB, 1 hit1, 1 unearned run.

Defensive highlights:

· Barrett Barnes to Adam Shank for a 6-3 double play in the first.

· Play at the Plate, #1 – F Daniel Rockett to C Drew Miller to end the second inning.

· Double Play the Hard Way (including Play at the Plate, #2) – with one out and runners at first and second in the third inning, P Andrew Keplinger got a comebacker and went to SS Barnes for the out at second base; the relay throw got by 1B Shank, but he played the carom off the wall and fired home to C Miller to complete the double play on the runner trying for home from second. Score it 1-6-3-2.

· 2B Ryan Dalton made a leaping grab in the 4th inning to rob Dulles of a base hit.

Score by inning: