Defensive mishaps plague Spartans in shutout senior day loss

ALBANY — Not every senior day game has a happy ending.

That was the unfortunate reality for the Alexander baseball team, whose senior day ended with a shutout loss to the visiting Marietta Tigers, with the Spartans losing 6-0.

Alexander (7-10) just wasn’t able to get anything going on either side of the ball, mustering just two hits while also accounting for six different errors in the field. Camron Oberholzer and Jordan Schulz were the only Spartans to record a hit, with Josh Hayes and Adam Eblin being the only other players to get on base after being walked and hit by a pitch.

Jackson Jordan picked up the start, throwing four innings and allowing just one hit while striking out five and walking one. Jordan had a perfect game bid through four innings, but allowed a hit before errors began to unravel the Spartans defensively. Jared Truax then came in for three innings of relief, allowing two hits and one earned run while walking two and notching one strikeout.

Marietta had an equally rough day at the plate as they recorded just one more hit than the Spartans, but were able to consistently find runners on base thanks to defensive mishaps from Alexander. Cooper Laumann finished 2-4 with a run scored, Jermiah Loughry added the only other hit for the Tigers. Izak Knighten scored a run while knocking in two RBIs, while Carson Strahler scored one of his own while also recording an RBI.

Drew Warden got the ball on the mound, pitching a complete game seven inning shutout where he allowed just two hits while striking out eight Spartan batters and walking just one.

The two teams combined for just one base runner through the opening three innings, with Jordan and Warden each working quick outs on the mound for their respective squads.

After a walk, base hit and a hit by pitch to start the top of the fourth for Marietta, things began to unravel defensively for the Spartans. With the bases loaded, a ground ball from Knighten went through the shortstop’s legs to plate two runners for the Tigers. Marietta scored another run due to an error on the following at-bat, before scoring two more on yet another Spartan error later in the inning.

With a 5-0 lead now, Marietta once again loaded the bases to begin the subsequent inning, before a sacrifice fly from Strahler scored the final run of the game to put the Tigers up 6-0.

Alexander was still unable to get anything going in the late innings to threaten a comeback, before a hard lineout from pinch-hitter Mason Morris was fielded to end the game and hand the Spartans a home shutout loss.

Alexander will look to bounce back quickly as they head to Federal Hocking on a 24 hour turnaround, with the two teams squaring off on Friday, April 3.