The Lancers had just five hits and hit into 13 fly outs and were shutout for just the second time this year, falling 2-0 to Mid-Continent in Pool B action at the NCCAA World Series Friday afternoon.
The loss drops the Lancers to 40-13 overall and 2-1 in Pool B and are now in a potential must-win situation tonight against defending national champion and current pool leader Oklahoma Wesleyan. First pitch is schedule for 5 p.m. (Pacific.).
With a win tonight, the Lancers are likely through to the semifinals. The Lancers could still potentially get through with a loss depending on how the remaining pool play games play out, which will lead to a tiebreaker scenario, which involves runs allowed.
Mid-Continent improves to 26-36 overall and 1-1 in the pool and are playing Bluefield, which is also 1-1 at 1 p.m. (Pacific).
While the Lancer pitching has been lights out, allowing just one earned run in 20 innings, CBU's offense continues to struggle in this tournament. Through three games, the Lancers are hitting .264 with just eight runs; this from a team that came into the tournament hitting .330 and averaged eight runs a game.
The Lancers were also victimized by four errors, their highest total since committing four on Feb. 25 against Dixie State. Both Cougar runs were unearned.
David Herd (5-1) went 4.1 innings, giving up just three singles and one walk and was the hard-luck loser after giving up both runs.
The Cougars got a leadoff bunt single by Jordyn Abell in the third. He advanced to second on a groundout and moved the third when shortstop Cole Bullard couldn't handle Herd's pickoff attempt. He scored on a sacrifice fly by leadoff hitter Daniel Edwards.
Abell led off the fifth with a single, moved to second on an error and later scored on a bases loaded single by Joseph Blair. Andy Crowley, though, prevented the Cougars from scoring again when he gunned down Trevor Buford trying to score from second on the single.
The Lancers had runners in scoring position in the first, third and fifth. Kevin Odom hit a one-out double in the first, but Matt Marnati and Blair Moore both flew out.
In the third, Ryan Douglass hit a one-out single followed by a double from Michael Fagan, putting runners at second and third with one out. However, Hunter Burge (12-5) struck out Odom and induced an inning-ending flyout by Marnati.
Bullard led off the fifth with a liner to center and was sacrificed to second, but again Burge induced back-to-back flyouts to end that threat.
Burge went the distance, striking out one and scattering five hits in the shutout. It was his fifth complete-game effort and second shutout of the year.
