Fulton takes 1-0 lead in playoff series

DEREK McCREE/The Crittenden Press

Marion must win its next two games to keep their 2011 season
alive in the Ohio Valley League playoffs.

The Railroaders got an early 6-0 jump on Marion Monday and cruised to an eventual 9-3 win over the Bobcats to take the first game of the opening round of the playoffs. It was the fifth consecutive loss for Marion, but this first of the postseason leaves them forced to win their next two games in order to move on to the league championship series that begins Friday.

Fulton put three runs on the board in each of the first two innings off starter Garret Hunt, who was 2-3 with a 3.42 ERA during the regular season. Hunt lasted only 1 1/3 innings against Fulton's bats. Ian Creager got the bulk of the work on the mound for Marion, throwing 5 2/3 innings and allowing only one run. Stephen Glaze threw a perfect eight, but in two innings of work, Kyle Tokunaga allowed two more runs to put Marion down by six with just three outs left.

Glaze

The top four hitters in the lineup did all of Fulton's damage, led by No. 3 hitter Rob Hogenkamp who went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Mike Moore drove in two more runs on three hits, and came home to score all four times on base. Brandon Eggenschwiler was perfect in three at-bats with a run batted in and two runs scored. Cleanup hitter Joe Mike was 2-for-5 with two RBI. The only other hit for the Railroaders was Kahtan Al-Kaissy's single in the second inning. The rest of the order was only 1-for-20.

The Bobcats showed signs of life in the sixth when Fulton starter Tyler Reilly started to show signs of tiring. A single, two doubles and a triple cut Fulton's lead in half at 6-3, but Reilly was able to close out the inning earn the win. Fulton's bullpen shut out Marion in the final three innings.

As he has been all season long, Desmond Roberts was the heart of Marion's offense, reaching on three singles and a walk. He also swiped two bases and score one run. Taylor Banks and A.J. Dokey were each 2-for-4 with a double and run batted in. Dokey added a triple in the run-producing sixth inning. Leadoff hitter Cody Schmitt got three hits and Kyle Vander Ark and Landon Weitekamp contributed a double and single, respectively.

One more loss and the season is over for the Bobcats. They will play the next game of the series at Fulton beginning at 6 p.m., Wednesday. If necessary, they will play another game at Lohaus Field at the same time Thursday.

Click here for box score.

Owensboro 4, Tradewater 2
Regular season champion Owensboro continued their hot streak Tuesday, taking the opening game of the playoffs 4-2 over the Pirates. The best-of-three series moves to Owensboro for the final two games, if necessary.