Staff Writer Cade Harris
The Richland baseball Thunderducks lost both games of their Feb. 9 doubleheader at home against the Cisco College Wranglers 10-0 and 7-6, respectively.
The Cisco offense was dominant in Game 1, scoring at least 10 runs in five innings. Cisco scored two runs in each of the second, third and fourth innings and scored four more in the fifth.
Richland threatened early on offense but were unable to score despite a two-out double by Cam Diaz. The Cisco pitchers had their way in the game limiting Richland to only two hits and allowing no runs.
Offensively, Richland was led by Diaz who went 1-for-2 with the first-inning double. Kole Mayberry also went 1-for-2 at the plate.
The Thunderducks went 2-for-16 at the plate, scoring no runs and striking out five times.
Michael Gresham got the start on the mound for the Thunderducks, throwing four innings, giving up seven earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out four.
Reid Carrick came in relief in the fifth inning. Carrick allowed one run on two hits.
Cisco was led offensively by Sam Pierce, who went 2-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Thomas Latham and Matt Crump both went 2-for-3 on the day. Will Pendergrass went 1-for-2 and hit a two-run home run.
Cisco put up two runs in the second inning after Richland was unable to turn a double play after a throwing error.
Cisco added two more runs in the third inning after the Pendergrass home run to left center field.
Cisco scored their two runs in the fourth inning on a Bobby Serfass triple. Serfass was driven in by Cole Hill. A couple of doubles and a single by the Wranglers led to four more runs in the fifth inning.
Wrangler starting pitcher Marco Martinez got the win and threw all five innings allowing no runs on only two hits while striking out five Richland batters.
The game ended after five innings due to a run rule.
Richland came back from down 5-0 early in Game 2 to send the game into extra innings, before they fell short.
Brad Mican led the offense for Richland going 2-for-5 with two RBIs.
Diaz also went 2-for-5 at the plate, driving in one run. Kyler Howard went 2-for-3 on the day and also tallied an RBI.
Mican got the Thunderducks on the board first with an RBI single to center field in the bottom of the third. Mican also tripled in the fourth to drive in a run before Diaz doubled him in, capping off a three-run bottom of the fourth.
Howard singled in a run in the bottom of the fifth to shrink the Wrangler lead to 6-5. Richland scored the tying run in the bottom of the sixth after a bases-loaded walk by TJ Pound.
Cameron Hauch got the start on the mound for Richland, pitching three innings and giving up four earned runs on seven hits while punching out five.
Andrew Kuni pitched three innings in relief, only giving up one earned run on two hits and four walks. Kuni also struck out three Wrangler hitters.
Cody Smith pitched the last two innings, only giving up one run on one hit and one walk while striking out three batters.
