By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, OH---The Express baseball team dropped a 7-3 decision at home to Macomb Community College today.
Jeff Davis started on the mound for the Express, but was the victim of three walks and two unearned runs over two innings.
In the bottom half of the second, the Express cut that deficit in half when Joe Sickler walked, stole second, and scored on a single to left by Manis.
Dane Davis took over for Jeff Davis to begin the third inning. He held Macomb scoreless in the third and fourth innings, but gave up two in the fifth that gave Macomb a 4-1 lead. The Monarchs then added three more in the sixth off Express reliever Alex Juday.
However, with one out and the bases loaded in that sixth inning, Jesse Castilleja relieved Juday. He got a groundout and a pop out to minimize the damage. Then, he held Macomb scoreless in the seventh and eighth. All in all, he retired eight of the nine batters he faced and struck out two.
After Castilleja escaped major damage in the sixth, the Express scored two in the seventh, but missed an opportunity for more.
Sickler led off with a single, Nick Collins walked and Manis dropped a nice push bunt past the pitcher on the right side of the infield to load the bases with no outs. Travis Tackett then reached on error that scored a run and allowed the bases to re-load. After a foul pop out, Ryan Horvath knocked Collins in with a sacrifice fly. However, after a walk re-loaded the bases, a groundout by Myles Debol ended the inning.
Aaron Peoples relieved Castilleja in the ninth and retired Macomb in order on two groundouts and a strikeout. The Express then got a one-out triple from Daniel Heatherly in the ninth, but he wasn't able to score.
Sickler and Manis led the offensive attack for the Express. Sickler finished 2-for-3 with two runs, two stolen bases and a walk, while Manis was 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
Aaron Solomon got the win for Macomb, while Davis took the loss for Owens.
Notes
The Express (5-18) are scheduled to take on OCCAC foe Lakeland Community College this Saturday and Sunday at home. Both days will feature doubleheaders.