WASHBURN GETS FIRST CAREER WIN

Throwing 106 pitches over six complete innings, freshman Jace Washburn picked up his first career win as the Bearcats beat Pottsville 13-7 at the Billy Kiersey Baseball/Softball Complex Thursday.

Washburn (1-1) allowed six hits and seven runs – only two were earned. He walked five and struck out four before leaving the mound just shy of the Arkansas Activities Association pitch count limit.

Washburn (shown recording an out on a ground ball) also helped himself with a walk and run scored during a seven run Bearcat fourth inning, and he drove in a run in the first with a single.

That was the fourth Bearcat run of the first inning. Rylen Ray doubled home Brooks Herrera after Herrera started the game with a double.

Peyton Tatum squeezed a run in and reached on a throwing error. Dunn Daniel followed with the first of his two doubles and, with two down, Cameron Osborne and Washburn singled home runs.

Blazen Jones was hit by a pitch to reload the bases but the Bearcats left them full. They would do so again in the second.

But the Bearcats did manage a second inning run that scored on a two-out error to lead 5-0.

He had needed only 17 pitches to that point but Washburn threw 42 more in the Apache third. A walk and an error started the inning and after a line drive to Ray, playing second, an infield single filled the bases.

Back-to-back walks forced in runs and a fielder’s choice got another one in before three straight singles and a third error in the inning combined to give the Apaches a 7-5 lead.

The Bearcats were retired in order in the bottom of the inning and Washburn matched the 1-2-3 frame in the top of the fourth, before
Bearcats had their own seven run inning in the bottom of the fourth.

Dax Goff (3-for-4) led off the inning with a single and after Tatum walked, Goff scored on a passed ball and Daniel (3-for-4) doubled to tie the game at 7-7.

With two down Washburn and Jones walked with a passed ball getting the go-ahead run home. Herrera singled and Ray singled in one for a 9-7 lead and the bases were loaded for Goff.

Goff tripled down the left field line to score all three and make it 12-7. It was his third triple of the season.

The Bearcats added a run in the sixth when Goff singled then stole second and third – he swiped four on the day – and came home on an infield single by Tatum.

Matt O’Bar came on for his fifth relief appearance and worked a scoreless seventh to finish it.

The Bearcats will play again today in Danville.