Defensive lapses lead to Allen loss

Errors played a key factor in Allen Community College’s 20-9 loss to Hutchinson Tuesday.
 The Blue Dragons took advantage of the eight ACC errors.
“On the positive note we scored a lot of runs,” coach Val McLean said. “On the downside, we made eight errors. Most of those were not catching fly ball errors.”
Allen’s offense wasn’t the problem, scoring nine runs on eight hits.
“We swung the bats pretty good there,” McLean said. “There’s no question in my mind that if we make those defensive plays it’s going to be a barn-burner of a game.”
Hutchinson took the early lead in the top of the first, with a two-run, bases-loaded single by outfielder Matt Jones. Allen got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame with a sac fly from outfielder Kyle Foster.
In the second inning, Hutchinson added two more to take a 4-1 lead.
Hutchinson didn’t have the lead for long; the Red Devils tied the game 4-4.
Allen took advantage of a throwing error to score their first run of the inning. Second baseman Clint Heffern then had an RBI single. Heffern went 2-for-3. Shortstop Levi Ashmore hit a single that got under the right fielder’s glove which allowed Heffern to score the tying run.
The Blue Dragons took a 6-4 lead in the fourth inning on a two-run homer by third baseman Bennett Oliver. The Red Devils weren’t able to tie or gain the lead for the rest of the game.
In the fifth inning, ACC got a run back off Foster’s bat with an RBI double to pull within 8-5.
The Blue Dragons answered with an 11-run sixth inning mostly coming off of singles and errors with the bases loaded.
Allen scored four in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded, Ashmore hit a double to score two.
Ashmore led Allen’s offense going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Third baseman Trey Francis had a single that brought in two more.
Hutchinson put one more run on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh. Allen didn’t score. The game ended after the seventh because of the run-limit being reached.
Pitcher Logan Bausch earned the loss, tossing three innings. He gave up four hits, three walks and four runs, two earned. Overall, Red Devil pitchers gave up 15 hits and walked seven.
Allen plays Kansas City, Kan., in a home doubleheader at 3 p.m. Thursday.