In losses to St. Mary and Russellville, the Wildcats held fifth inning leads and were tied going into the sixth inning only to give up late runs.
Monday, Trigg played with fire throughout their game with Russellville, only to get burned in a 4-3 loss at the Complex.
“We should have had a shut out going into the final inning, but we shot ourselves in the foot defensively in one inning,” said Wildcat head coach Jeff Embrey.
Trigg got on the board first when Caleb Reynolds and John David Fourqurean led off with singles and scored on Lucas Riddle’s double to deep left field.
But Russellville (3-2) scored three unearned runs in the second inning, set up by a walk. Two errors in the inning and a bases-clearing double to right field by Ryan Morgan gave the Panthers a 3-2 lead.
Once he got past the second inning, Wildcat pitcher Corey Harrison settled down and retired seven straight batters, including a four-pitch third inning.
The Wildcats tied the game when Kyle Allen smacked a home run despite the wind blowing in from left.
But the Wildcats flirted with danger in the next two innings.
Harrison pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth inning, but Trigg couldn’t score in the bottom of the sixth.
In the seventh, Justin Rust belted a one-out double and scored on Wes Rutherford’s single to left field to put Russellville ahead 4-3.
Harrison was relieved by Riddle, who pitched out of another bases-loaded jam to keep the damage minimal.
The Wildcats put themselves in good shape to tie in the game in the seventh when Allen drew a one-out walk and stole second. He advanced to third on a bad pickoff throw, but the next two batters struck out to end the Wildcat scoring threat.
“We had our chances, but we couldn’t get the big hit. We left nine people on base, and we have to do better there,” Embrey said.
Trigg County had six hits, but committed four errors in the field.
In addition to Allen’s homer and Riddle’ double, Trigg got singles from Fourqurean, Reynolds, Donald Bush, and Devon Morris.
Harrison pitched six innings, giving up six hits and no earned runs. He walked one and struck out two.
Riddle took the loss for the Wildcats, allowing the one run in his only inning pitched to fall to 0-2 on the season.
Trigg County will play in the Dawson Springs tournament Friday and Saturday, opening the tourney Friday afternoon against Todd County. Caldwell County, Webster County, and Hopkins County Central are also in the tournament.
After this weekend, the Wildcats will play their next two games at home.
Trigg will play Todd County again Monday at 4:45 p.m. at the Complex.
On Wednesday, the Wildcats will host Hopkinsville in a 5 p.m. matchup.
St. Mary 8
Trigg County 6
Trigg County outhit St. Mary (3-2) nine to seven but were outscored 5-0 over the final three innings to fall 8-6 March 30 at the Complex.
Trigg jumped ahead 4-3 after three innings and led 6-3 going into the fifth inning but couldn’t come up with much offense in the final three innings.
The Wildcats committed four errors, including two in the final inning that led to St. Mary’s winning runs.
John David Fourqurean led the Wildcat offensive attack by going 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
Ryan Eubanks was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs driven in, while Jordan McNichols was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Corey Harrison and Donald Bush also had hits for the Wildcats.
Lucas Riddle took the loss on the mound, striking out four and walking four in six-and-a-third innings. Only four of Riddle’s seven runs allowed were earned runs.
