Tigers overcome slow start to sweep Hot Dogs

Apr. 15—LEBANON — For the first time all season, the Lebanon baseball team found themselves trailing on the scoreboard Wednesday night when they faced Frankfort in the second game of their Sagamore Conference series.

But after falling behind 3-0 in the first three innings, the Tigers were able to dominate the final four innings.

Lebanon scored 12 runs in its final three plate appearances, and swept the Hot Dogs for the first time since 2012 by a 12-4 score.

"We got off to a slow start offensively, their pitcher was doing a good job of keeping us off-balance," Lebanon head coach Rick Cosgray said. "We made a couple of adjustments at the plate, and I felt like it was just a matter of time before we started putting the ball in play consistently. Once we did, our kids did an outstanding job."

Lebanon came into Wednesday's game averaging nine runs a game through the first three contests, but struggled to get anything going against starter Jose Lopez.

The Hot Dog pitcher retired nine of the first 11 batters he faced, allowing two runners on an error and a hit batter.

But after that, it was an entirely different story.

Garrett Harker led off the fourth with a home run, and four batters later with two on and one out, Michael Richwine hit an RBI-single to make it 3-2.

After a single loaded the bases, Cannon Morton drove in the tying run and ended Lopez' night.

"He had us out on our front foot," Cosgray said. "We were reaching and our timing was off. Once we made an adjustment and moved up in the box, it helped our timing and we started hitting up and down the order."

After an infield fly for the second out, senior Matthew Coddington fell behind in the count 0-2.

He took the third pitch for a ball, then drove a pitch over the center fielder's head for a 3-run double that gave the Tigers the lead for good.

"That was an outstanding at bat," Cosgray said. "He had four line drive outs yesterday, and we told him just to keep the same approach. He stepped up big time with that hit tonight."

Lebanon added two in the fifth on two wild pitches to make it 8-3.

In the sixth, an RBI-single by Brayton Bowen and a 3-run double by Cayman Huntsman made it 12-3.

That was more than enough run support for the Lebanon pitchers.

Bowen pitched the first four innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits. He struck out three.

Caleb Linton got the save, allowing one run on three hits in the final three innings. He struck out four.

"Brayton didn't have great command tonight, but he was able to work himself out of some jams and kept them to one run in each of the first three innings," Cosgray said. "Caleb Linton did an outstanding job. He threw a lot of strikes, kept them off-balance and did a nice job."

Harker, Huntsman and Peyton Komrska each had two hits for the Tigers. Komrska scored three runs, while Harker, Bowen and Richwine scored twice.

Lebanon is back in action on Saturday for the Lebanon Invite.

"We open with Speedway and they are always a quality program," Cosgray said. "We just have to continue to do the little things like we have so far this week."

Will Willems is the Sports Editor of the Lebanon Reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Will_Willems.