By Kurt Martin
After four straight one-run games this week, the POWER played another close game Friday night, but came up short against Top Speed falling by a score of 4-1.
Starter Ryan Eddy (College of Idaho) dominated the POWER tonight shutting down the usual potent offense in 8.2 innings while punching out 11 men.
“This guy is really an outstanding pitcher [and he] had a great night” said POWER manager Harry Gurley “He really dealt our hitters a tough time”.
Top Speed jumped out to an early lead on the strength of a two-run homerun by catcher Scott Mitchell (SE Missouri State) in the first inning.
They would tack on two more runs in the top of the sixth inning as Rob Smith (Chabot College) and Ridge Hoopii-Haslam (Oklahoma Baptist), who both had singles in the inning, would come around to score via an error and suicide squeeze.
With only four hits, the POWER’s few bright spots were first baseman Hunter Bening (NW Florida St)and Nick King (Georgia). Bening had a double and King worked his way on three times.
POWER pitcher Kyle Murray (Hofstra), who dazzled in his previous start, did not have his best outing of the season. Murray tossed 5.1 innings pitched allowing three earned runs.
If the POWER can hang their hat on anything, it’s the fact that their bullpen was tough as usual.
Down 4-1, Nick Smith (Western Illinois and Nick Medeiros (Santa Clara) shutdown the Top Speed offense tonight limiting Top Speed to two hits while allowing no runs in 3.2 innings pitched.
The POWER play tomorrow night against Top Speed with first pitch scheduled for 7:05. Tomorrow is also Kids Day Saturdays where all kids 12 and under get in for $2.
