San Angelo Colts Take 3 of 4 from Prairie Dogs
By: Abilene Prairie Dogs Press Release
Updated: May 31, 2012
ABILENE, TX - Brian Smith's outing on Friday night in Edinburg was nearly flawless from start to finish. Wednesday night at Walt Drigger's Field was a different story. The 23-year-old lefty struggled through the first 10 batters of the game, and by the time he forced Adam De La Garza to ground into a 4-3 double-play that proved to be the turning point in his outing, the damage had been done. While Smith struggled to command the strike zone in the top of the first inning, the Colts strung together four hits on the way to an early 3-0 lead. San Angelo never trailed in the ballgame and defeated the Prairie Dogs, 6-3, winning the four game series three games to one.
Mark Willinsky lasted six innings for the San Angelo Colts, allowing just three hits and two runs (one earned) on the way to his first victory of the season.
The Prairie Dogs tried to chip away at the three-run deficit as Reggie Williams scored when Kyle Nichols grounded into a 6-3 double play in the fourth inning. Trailing 3-1 in the sixth, Wilson Batista worked a two-out walk, stole second, and moved to third on the errant throw into centerfield. One batter later, Batsita touched home when San Angelo Colt's shortstop Landon Camp committed a throwing error on what would have been an inning ending ground out by Nichols.
The Colts scored what appeared to be a crucial insurance run in the top of the seventh on the strength of a Ronnie Gaines R.B.I. double - Davis Page scored the unearned run after reaching base on a throwing error by third baseman Gunner Glad.
Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Prairie Dogs again pulled to within a run when left-handed reliever David Phillips walked Jason Martin with the bases loaded. However, Williams and Batista flied out to end the bases-loaded threat.
For the second time in the series, San Angelo catcher Josh Banda cracked a pivotal home. In the top of the eighth, he connected with a Billy Petrick fastball and belted it over the left-field fence for a two-run homer and a 6-3 Colts lead.
Chris Weast pitched the final two innings for his first save of the season as the Colts won the home-and-home four game series. With the loss, The Prairie Dogs drop to 3-5 while the Colts improve to a league-best 7-1.
The Prairie Dogs now hit the road until June 11. On Thursday, Abilene begins a three-game weekend series at Rio Grande Valley. The game starts at 7:05 and you can hear the pre-game show at 6:55 on 106.9 KLGD.
