WARDSVILLE - Digging out of an hole is no fun.
Things weren't fun Monday for the Blair Oaks Falcons, who were facing a 9-0 deficit against the Fulton Hornets after 21/2 innings Monday.
"It takes away parts of your game," Blair Oaks coach Harv Antle said after the Falcons dropped an 11-2 decision to the Hornets at the Falcon Athletic Complex. "You can't bunt, you can't hit-and-run, you can't steal a base because you're trying to preserve your outs to try and chip away."
Realistically, there was one thing the Falcons could do. And they got that done.
"We wanted to make sure it went a full seven (innings)," Antle said.
The Hornets scored a run in the first before totaling four runs in both the second and third innings.
In the first, the Hornets pieced together an infield single, stolen base and bloop to left to score their run. In the second, the Hornets totaled their four runs on three hits and two walks. Fulton used two hits, three walks and an error in its four-run third.
"We did a decent job of hitting their bats and it seemed to find holes," Antle said. "And when you add in the walks and our problems in the field, it can make for a long day."
The Falcons got on the board with a run in the bottom of the third. Zach Burns led off with a double to deep right-center. After Clayton Graessle walked, Alec Sieg singled to score Burns. But after a fly out, foul out and strikeout, that was it for the scoring in the inning.
"Unfortunately, we couldn't get that key hit to push through," Antle said.
Sieg finished with three hits in a seven-hit Blair Oaks attack.
The Hornets got that run back in the fourth to make it 10-1.
Blair Oaks' other run came in the fifth when Jacob Wilbers singled home James Reinkemeyer.
Fulton, which finished with nine hits, got its other run in the top of the seventh. Jared Peery had three hits for the Hornets, while Josh Quick and Tristan Steffens had two each.
Luke Gray got the win for Fulton (4-5), pitching the first six innings. Trent Clines worked the seventh.
Reinkemeyer started for the Falcons, working 22/3 innings. He allowed nine runs on seven hits and five walks. Ryan Paschal pitched the next 11/3 innings before Graessle worked the fifth for the Falcons. Jason Rackers pitched the final two frames.
The Falcons, coming off their appearance in the Capital City Invitational, are in a stretch where they could play as many as 10 games in nine days.
"We're going to keep working at it," Antle said. "It's tougher to say it's still early in the season, we're about at the midway point. We've seen some good, we've seen some bad, we just need to keep pushing to get some consistency and play at our near our potential more than we have."
Blair Oaks (5-9) is scheduled to play Thursday at Fatima before taking part in the Rock Bridge Tournament this weekend.
III
Blair Oaks celebrated Senior Day after the game, honoring nine Falcons.
"They are good kids who work hard and fun to be around," Antle said. "They're good young men."
Blair Oaks' seniors include Bryce Pritchett, Graessle, Reinkemeyer, Dylan Hoelscher, Wilbers, Sieg, Brent Heckemeyer, Burns and Dalton Fifer.
In addition, Blair Oaks senior golfer Kory Franks was recognized.