HOT START FOR COUGARS HOLDS OUT
Cougars Six Run First Downs X’s
By: Will Glocker
Sioux City, Iowa (May 21, 2022) – The Sioux City Explorers dropped game two, of a three game series, to the Kane County Cougars 8-5.
The Cougars started the scoring early and often putting up six runs in the first. The scoring started with a leadoff double by Ernie De La Trinidad to lead off the game and a triple by Cornelius Randolph. Steve Lombardozzi hit a sac fly to center field to plate another. Jimmy Kerrigan doubled and scored on a wild pitch. And a two run double off the bat of Nick Anderson finished the six run rally.
Carlos Sierra (0-1), started to settle down after the rough first inning. Sierra stuck out five total, through five frames, and gave up a total of seven runs on six hits. After the Anderson double in the first inning, he did not allow another base runner until the fifth as he retired twelve in a row.
For Kane County, Jose Fuentes (1-0) went six innings allowing three runs on eight hits and collected eight strikeouts on 100 pitches.
In the second, the Explorers tried to chip away at the six run deficit. They plated a run on a single by LT Tolbert that scored Sebastian Zawada.
Sebastian Zawada scored three of the five Explorers runs. Trey Martin brought home Zawada in the fourth and a sac fly by Mitch Ghelfi scored Zawada in the eighth.
Trey Martin, who was acquired via trade with Milwaukee that afternoon made his debut for the Explorers. He went 3-4 on the night with an RBI and a double.
The Cougars scored one more run in the sixth on a Galli Cribbs Jr sac fly to make it an 8-3 ballgame.
The Explorers continued to scratch away at the Cougars lead and scored one run in the ninth but couldn’t complete a comeback. Despite bringing the tying run to the on deck circle giving Logan Nissen a save.
In game three the Explorers look to try and avoid a sweep on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. Ben Allison (1-0, 0.90) draws the start for the Cougars and Patrick Ledet (0-0, 3.60) gets the ball for Sioux City.