Stephen F. Austin
at Texas-Pan American Tournament
Crabtree Collects Four Hits in SFA Loss
3/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 2, 2007
EDINBURG, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks were in search of their fourth straight win Friday when they faced the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners in the Al Ogletree Classic in Edinburg, Texas. After two tied scores, four lead changes and a missed opportunity with the bases loaded in the ninth, the Lumberjacks took the 6-5 loss in the non-conference match up. SFA is now 6-9 on the year.
With no score on the board, the top of the 'Jacks' line-up was scheduled to come up to the plate in the top of the third. After Jeff Brewer grounded out to shortstop, Noel Trevino singled. Trevino then stole second with two outs in the inning. Jared Pitts was then issued a walk on a wild pitch that prompted Trevino to advance to third. Kevin Crabtree then hit a double that sent Pitts to third and Trevino across the plate for the early 1-0 score. Jeremy Arterburn then walked to bring Justin Long to the plate with the bases loaded. Long hit a double to score Pitts and Crabtree and give SFA a 3-0 lead.
The Roadrunners responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the same inning to pull within one. They scored one more run in the fifth and took a hold of the lead in the sixth.
But in the seventh, SFA regained the lead. Steven Hill led off the inning with a single off the 1-2 pitch and got into scoring position when he stole second. He scored the tying run when Crabtree hit a base hit up the middle. Crabtree reached second when Arterburn was hit by a pitch and scored on a Chris Smith single to regain the lead, 5-4.
UTSA, however, scored one run in each the seventh and eighth innings to take back the lead.
With the Roadrunners up 6-5, Crabtree led off the top of the ninth with a single and advanced to second on a base hit by Arterburn. Zach Gardner, the pinch hitter for Long, laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Crabtree and Vince Wade, who was pinch running for Arterburn, to second and third. The bases were loaded when Smith was issued a one-out walk. But it was a missed opportunity as Kevin Croft and Jeff Brewer took consecutive strikeouts in the loss.
Crabtree led the Lumberjacks matched his career high with four hits in five at-bats. He scored two runs and drove in two. He also hit his fourth double of the season.
Kevin Thomas, who pitched 1.1 innings of relief, gave up one hit, one earned run and walked one. He took the loss and is now 0-2 on the year.
The Lumberjacks will face tournament host Texas-Pan American Saturday morning at 11 a.m. from Edinburg Field.
