BCC, Lakeland split baseball games with dramatic endings

 The Brunswick Community College and Lakeland Community College (Kirtland, Ohio) baseball teams played a doubleheader March 14 with dramatic endings.

Michael Paul

BCC shortstop Hunter Allen tags out the Lakeland player at second base in the first game of the doubleheader March 14. Allen’s two-out, bases-loaded single in the seventh inning of the second game drove in the winning runs in BCC’s 10-9 victory.

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Michael Paul

Jonathan Corbett singles in two runs in the first game. In the second game he had had two hits, including a triple.

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Michael Paul

Ryan Hill makes contact in an at-bat in the first game. In the second game he had two hits and two walks.

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Michael Paul

Ryan Collins follows through on a swing in the first game. He had a two-run single.

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Michael Paul

BCC starter David Thumser throws a pitch in the first game.

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In the first game, Laker freshman first baseman Drew Kissinger used all of his 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame in lofting a three-run home run to deep center field—the final three runs in a 10-run seventh-inning rally and a 14-12 victory.

In the second game, BCC freshman shortstop Hunter Allen hit a two-out, bases-loaded single to right center to score the final two runs in a four-run seventh inning rally and a 10-9 victory.

The Lakers had played six games this season (4-2), and in the first game, the Dolphins took advantage of 11 walks, one hit batter and two errors in building a 12-4 lead entering the top of the seventh.

The Lakers had held BCC to six hits. Jonathan Corbett hit a two-run single in the fourth for a 6-1 lead. Catcher Matt Archer hit a two-run single for a 10-4 lead in the sixth inning. He had entered the game earlier as a substitute for starting catcher Anthony Colantino, who was hit in the top of the head by a backswing in the second inning and had to leave the game. Colantino was treated for his wound in the dugout.

A two-run single by Ryan Collins put BCC ahead 12-4 entering the top of the seventh.

But in the Lakers’ seventh, a single, a double and a triple against reliever Ethan Strickland scored two runs and began the 10-run rally. After a walk, an error and a walk cut the lead to 12-7, Tim Powell came in to pitch. But an error gave the Lakers another run and cut the lead to 12-8.

With two outs and the score 12-9, freshman Andrew Dito doubled inside the first-base line, driving in two runs and cutting the lead to 12-11. After a batter was hit by a pitch, Kissinger homered.

“We made (two errors),” coach Robbie Allen said about the inning. “We misjudged a ball in the outfield that went for a hit that I thought we could have caught. We kind of laid back on it. We give up a hit here and a hit there and the next thing you know it’s close and we can’t get out of it. Everything that can happen, happened.”

In the second game, it was Lakeland that had the lead entering the seventh. But Allen’s two-out single gave BCC the dramatic victory.

“I was happy for him and happy for us,” coach Allen said. “I know he possibly feels as much or more pressure than anyone else—especially being my son playing for me. And it’s got to be tough on him. He has to come home and hear it, too.

“I was really pleased that he could step to the plate and drive in those two runs for us to end that game. That was great.”

Hunter Allen finished with two hits and two RBIs. He scored a run. Entering the game, he was batting .400.

“He made some plays in the field,” coach Allen said. “It’s big for me to be able to see that and have him playing for me, even though I know at times he feels like I’m a little harder on him than I am on the other guys—and rightfully so. I think I am at times. But he handles it very well.

“I’m excited to have him playing for me. He’s been a big help to our team.”

For the game, BCC (12-6) had 13 hits. Bryson Benton had a double. Corbett had two hits, including a triple. Entering the game, he was batting .487. Ryan Hill had two hits and two walks. Damon Hoggard hit two sacrifice flies and had two RBIs.

Kyle Shields was the winning pitcher, facing four batters. He threw 16 pitches.