Pioneers fall in extra inning
By: Nick Kieser
GALLATIN, TENNESSEE — The Vol State Pioneers hosted Schoolcraft College for the third home series of the season yesterday (March 5). Schoolcraft came back in the ninth to tie the game and win 7-6 in the extra inning of baseball.
Dalton Heath started the game and made it to the fourth inning before Preston Burnett came in to relieve him on the mound. The Pioneers used six pitchers total in the extra-inning loss and it was Braxton Dieckhaus who received the loss being on the mound when Schoolcraft came back and won.
"I thought we played pretty good and pretty tough that game. In the end, we just couldn't keep the score on our side. That's a bummer when we know we played well," said Jordan Jackson after the 10 inning loss to Schoolcraft.
The visiting Ocelots were up 3-0 in the top of fifth until Bill Hamilton and Jordan Jackson came up with big plays. Hamilton hit a Sac Fly to score Will Dunlap and Jackson hit a triple to score in Lofton Cotton and Justin St. Amour to tie the game at three runs a side.
"Baseball is a hard game but in the end, you have to think to see the ball hit the ball and once we start doing that better I think we can go on a spell of winning more rather than losing. We need to simplify everything, just see it and do it kind of mentality," said Jackson about what can come of him hitting a triple for his team.
"Today I came in and was locked in as good as I possibly could be. I just was a lot more focused today than in my last starts and I need to repeat what I did today to prepare for more games," said Heath after his fourth start of the season.
The Pioneers had Colin Kriminger come in to close the game in the ninth inning and got two outs on two groundball pitches. Then Kriminger loaded the bases for Schoolcraft and the Ocelots hit an RBI double to tie the game at six apiece.
"It's over with and to not think about it. I know he had a million thoughts in his head after the first walk. You just have to calm down and trust your pitches. We have more games this weekend so he has time to bounce back," said Heath about Krimingers closing performance and how to move along after the loss.
The Pioneers play Schoolcraft again tomorrow at noon for another nine-inning game. Columbia State Community College visits for a home three-game conference series this weekend starting at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon.
Follow the baseball program on Twitter @VSCCPioneersBSB for more in-game updates and analysis.