Chargers rally to beat Hornets 7-4

By Brittany Stempien
Review Sports Correspondent
Published: March 27, 2008

Orange slipped to 1-3 on the season with their sloppy 7-4 loss against Chancellor at home Friday night.
Things were looking good for the Hornets as they led the game 2-1 going into the third. However, the Chargers took advantage of Orange pitcher D.J. Brown. After Kyle Moore’s long left-field double, Lawrence Galeria drove him in with a base hit to tie the game at 2.
In the home third, Orange was able to add two more runs. Courtesy of two leadoff walks, a passed ball, and Chris Bittner’s vital two-out sacrifice fly, Orange pulled ahead 4-2 entering the fourth.
The Chargers mimicked the Hornets in the fourth, scoring two runs of their own off a sacrifice fly and a passed ball to strip the Hornets of their lead.
With two outs in the fifth, Coach Lohr pulled his starter and signaled to the bullpen. Nick Bledsoe came in with confidence and struck out the next batter on a 1-2 pitch to end the inning.
There seemed to be no hope for Orange in their half of the fifth. The first two batters grounded out. Then Colsten Bayless shook things up a bit with a strong swing on a 0-1 pitch. He smashed the ball deep into center field, but it was caught for the final out of the inning.
Two consecutive doubles in the sixth from T.J. Belcher and Ben Beacorn locked into place Chancellor’s 7-4 lead.
When all hope seemed to have dissipated, the Hornets came back strong in the home seventh. Unfortunately, not strong enough. With two outs, Evan Price kept things alive with a base hit to right field. Bayless followed with a deep left-field single to put Price in scoring position. On a passed ball, the runners advanced, but Derrick Justice flied out to center field to end the inning and the game.
The Hornets gave it a valiant effort, but didn’t come out on top.
Tyler Mace of Chancellor picked up the win, and D.J. Brown suffered his second The Hornets return to action with a rematch Tuesday night in Chancellor.