Unable to Seal Comeback, Hounds Drop Game 1

The Hounds erased a 7-0 Electrons lead, but could not hold on to a late lead, falling 12-10 in a Monday night thriller.

The Electrons struck first and hard, going up 7-0 by the end of the second inning.

Despite the rough start, the Hounds continued to play their game, chipping away at the deficit. Greg Sells sparked the initial rally with a single that turned into a run due to a fielding error, making the score 7-1. This was quickly followed by Arron Kruse’s line drive single, which plated another run, bringing the score to 7-2.

The fourth inning saw the Hounds further close the gap. Brian Lehman and Pedro Rondón hit back-to-back singles, setting the stage for Tim Riggenbach’s groundout that scored Lehman. Tony Correa then singled to drive in Rondón, trimming the deficit to 7-4. The highlight of the inning came when Greg Sells homered to center field, driving in Correa and pulling the Hounds within a single run at 7-6.

In the fifth, the Hounds’ rally continued with Lehman doubling on a line drive, which scored Kruse, who had earlier singled, making it 8-7. The would-be comeback reached its apex in the sixth inning. A critical double down the line by Brandon Jessee drove in two runs, knotting the game at 9. Shortly after, Matt Burch’s single brought Jessee home from third.

However, the 6th saw the Electrons reclaim the lead, capitalizing on a mix of singles and costly free trips. An RBI single tied the game, and successive bases loaded hit-by-pitches nudged the Electrons ahead. An inning-ending diving play in shallow center by Jessee limited the damage, but the Hounds could not amass a threat in the 7th.

Although the final result was disappointing, the Hounds showed remarkable resilience, recording 11 hits and restricting errors to 2. The never-say-die Doggos will look to capitalize on their late momentum in game 2 against Electrons tomorrow, same time, same place.