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Versailles
third baseman, Logan Rodriguez dives at a sliding Scot Kirby
during action in the
third inning Wednesday during tournament action
against Miami East. Versailles fell to
the host Vikings, 9-8 in eight
innings. CNO photos by George Starks
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V-Tigers fall
in eight to Miami East
By George Starks
CASSTOWN- If there is one rule to winning in sports, one rule will
always remain in effect.
A team must make plays on defense.
Wednesday, at Miami East, Versailles failed to make the much needed
plays to beat the host Miami East Vikings, losing in eight innings,
9-8, in opening round sectional tournament action.
“The things that really hurt us were a couple of mishaps on defense
tonight,” said Tigers coach Will Borchers. “We battled through a lot of
adversity tonight but you have to execute on defense. Defense wins
baseball games and that’s what you’ve got to do, make the plays when
they are given to you and roll with it and we didn’t.”
Falling behind 2-0 in the opening frame, the Tigers fought and scrapped
for seven straight innings.
Trailing 7-4 going into the top of the seventh, Versailles took the
lead, 8-7, on a RBI single to left off the bat of Brian Blakeley.
Miami East gained the 8-8 tie in its half of the stanza forcing the
extra inning.
“We had our chances,” said Borchers. “We were behind early then had the
lead. We fell behind ahain and took the lead back. Again, we didn’t
make the play when we needed to.”
The play Borchers alluded to came in the bottom of the eighth.
After going down in order in the Versailles half of the eighth, the
Tigers once again, took the field.
With one down, Vikings catcher Mike Fellers reached on a single to left
then moved to second via a passed ball.
One out later, Braxton Donaldson ripped a shot to shortstop, Derrick
Bornhorst.
With Fellers on the move, Bornhorst bobbled the ball and was unable to
recover in time to get the speedy Donaldson at first, allowing Fellers
to score and ending the game with a loss.
“We gave them a couple of runs that they never really earned and that
killed us in the long run,” said Borchers. “We have to learn to put
teams away when we have the chance.
On offense, the Tigers were on fire, pounding out 15 hits.
“We could have packed things up and went home when we got down,”
Borchers admitted. “We didn’t do that. We fought through the adversity.
We hit the ball well but with such a young team, it’s tough. The
physical things can’t be controlled but as a coach, I can control the
mental things and that’s all we’re trying to do right now, control the
mental part of the game. If you can control the mental aspect of the
game, you will win games. When these guys get a couple of years older,
they’ll be winning these types of games.”
With the loss, the Tigers moved into the loser’s bracket of the double
elimination tournament and will now face the loser of the
Troy-Northmont game to be played today.
“Being in the loser’s bracket is going to be tough,” said Borchers.
“We’ve got two good teams we are waiting on. We will claw and fight to
stay in this tournament. We have to play “Tigerball”.
Versailles will see action at 12:30 Saturday afternoon.
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Jacob Watern rounds
third in the fourth Wednesday against Miami East.
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