Coming off a maddening loss to Clements Friday night, the Bulldogs took out their frustrations on Marshall, battering the Buffaloes for 23 hits and 30 runs in 5 innings. Bulldog Starting Pitcher Travis Lutze, a little rusty after a long layoff, gave up 3 runs on four hits in the first, but settled down after that and went the distance, allowing only one other run on one hit while racking up 10 strikeouts for his first district win.

The Bulldogs offense got started early, putting up 4 runs in the top of the first. 2B Barrett Barnes got things started with a walk and stolen base, and scored on CF Daniel Rockett’s double. After Dalton walked and stole second, C Drew Miller plated Rockett with an RBI groundout to second, and RF Tony Gigliotti brought in Dalton with a deep sacrifice fly to left. Back-to-back doubles by 1B Erik Schweiger and LF Blake Doerr made the score 4-0.

After giving up three runs in the bottom of the first, the Bulldogs poured it on in the second, sending 18 men to the plate and collecting 14 runs on 10 hits. The big blows in the inning were three home runs in a four-batter span by Barnes, Dalton, and Miller. The Bulldogs cooled off in the third, scoring only one run, thanks to some stellar outfield play by Marshall’s LF Cox and CF Armstrong, who both made fantastic running catches.

In the top of the fourth, the Bulldogs cranked it up again, putting across 5 runs. RF Eric Hughes was hit by a pitch leading off, and singles by C Matt Hills and LF Austen Smith loaded the bases. 3B Luke Mulcahey knocked in two with a double, Barnes got one in with a sacrifice fly, Rockett doubled in a run, and Miller closed it out with another double to run the score to 24-3. The Bulldogs would tack on another 6 in the fifth on 4 hits, 2 walks, and 2 errors to run the count to 30-3. Not giving up, Marshall pushed across a run in the bottom of the fifth to make the final score 30-4.

Next up for the Bulldogs – back home on Tuesday night, April 7, for a game against the Hightower Hurricanes.

Bulldog Offensive Highlights:

· 23 hits for the Bulldogs, 11 for extra bases: HR, two doubles, and a single for C/1B Drew Miller; two doubles and two singles for CF Daniel Rockett; a double and two singles for 3B Luke Mulcahey; HR and a single for 2B Barrett Barnes; two doubles for 1B Erik Schweiger; a double and a single for LF Blake Doerr; two singles for RF Tony Gigliotti; HR for SS Ryan Dalton; and a single each for RF Eric Hughes, C Matt Hills, and LF Austen Smith.

· 27 RBIs on the game: 5 for Miller; 4 each for Barnes and Rockett; 3 each for Doerr and Mulcahey; 2 each for Dalton and Gigliotti; and 1 each for Schweiger, Hughes, Hills, and Smith.

· 5 runs scored by Rockett – most by a Bulldog in at least the past two seasons.

· 4 hits by Rockett and Miller – most by a Bulldog this season; accomplished three times last season (Dalton, Doerr, Miller).

· 5 RBIs for Miller – most by a Bulldog this season; accomplished three times last season (Barnes, Miller, Shank).

Bulldog Pitching Highlights:

· Travis Lutze (1-0, 1-0), complete game, 5 innings, 10 K’s, 2 BB’s, 1 HPB, 5 hits, 4 runs.

Bulldog Defensive Highlights:

· 10 of 15 outs via strikeout for Starting Pitcher Travis Lutze

· Here’s a double play you don’t see every day: sac bunt 1-3 Lutze to Schweiger, 3-5 Schweiger to Dalton when the runner from first tried to take third; that was the first two outs in the first inning.

· Running catch in center by CF Daniel Rockett for the first out in the third; fly ball out to RF Eric Hughes for the third out in the fourth; popout to 2B Barrett Barnes for the first out in the fifth.

Winning Pitcher: Travis Lutze (1-0, 1-0)

Losing Pitcher: Ronald Word

Extra Base Hits, FBA: HR – Barnes, Dalton, Miller; 2B – Rockett (2), Miller (2), Schweiger (2), Doerr, Mulcahey

Score by inning:

Submitted by: Tom Miller