Nick Daniels pitches as Eric Watts and Jose Martinez get set.

Cougars Score All Four Runs On Passed Balls
Missed Opportunities Come Back To Haunt In Close 5-4 Loss

For the second day in a row the Cougars dropped a close ballgame that could have just as easily been a win for South. The Cougars lost another heartbreaker, this time in extra innings to Eagan by a score of 5-4 on a very cold and blustery afternoon.

The Cougars have proven themselves so far to be a team that does not give up. Once again the team mounted a dramatic 7th inning comeback to tie the game at four apiece, but they missed many opportunities that cost them. The Cougars had a tough time getting key hits early when they needed them as they left runners in scoring position in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th innings, and then again in the 7th. Base running errors early also cost the Cougars.

Nick Daniels had another fine pitching outing as he gave up only two hits through the first five innings. Daniels picked up two strikeouts, six fly-outs and two ground-outs in the game. He gave up three hits in the 6th before giving way to relief pitcher Blake Nicols who finished the game and took the loss for the Cougars. Nicols walked four and gave up two hits in 2 2/3rds innings of work, while collecting one fly-out, two pop-ups, and two ground-outs.

Despite a strong 20 mph wind out of the North and temperatures in the 40s the Cougars didn't give up and kept playing hard throughout the game. The Cougars tallied one in the 2nd, one in the 4th and scored two in the top of the 7th as they fought back to tie the game at 4-4.

With the Cougars down by two runs, Eric Watts led off the inning by drawing a 3-1 walk. Blake Nicols immediately followed with a walk on four straight pitches. Joey Novak then sacrifice bunted to move the runners up to 2nd and 3rd. Nick Daniels then came to the plate and worked the pitcher to a full count, in the process drawing two run scoring wild pitches before also walking. Nick Altavilla drew the fourth walk in a row that inning, but Jose Martinez hit a line drive bullet back to the pitcher who caught the ball and immediately threw back to 1st to double-up the freshman.

Eagan loaded the bases in the bottom of the 8th and scored on a short squib hit to the right side of the infield to win the game 5-4.

The Wildcats out-hit the Cougars 7 hits to 5.

Leading hitters for the Cougars were...

Eric Watts... 1 for 2, plus a walk and scored a run.

Nick Daniels... 1 for 3, plus a walk and 2 WP RBIs.

Adam Blaschko... 1 for 3, plus a walk.

Nick Altavilla... 1 for 3, plus a walk.

Alex Messick... 1 for 4.

Mick Wald... 2 walks, plus scored 2 runs.

Alex Nichols... 1 walk, plus 2 WP RBIs.

Blake Nicols... 1 walk, plus scored a run.

The Cougars are now 5-10 on the season and travel next to Northfield on Friday (5/12) night where they will make-up their rained out game with New Ulm at 6:00.

New Ulm is playing Northfield in an earlier game that afternoon and agreed to make up the Lakeville South rain game afterwards. (In case of bad weather, the game is tentatively set for Saturday.)