Bulldawg Baseball loses 1-0 pitcher’s duel to Ellison in 10-inning thriller

The Copperas Cove baseball team was one swing away from winning their fourth-consecutive game in the seventh inning of Friday’s scoreless pitcher’s duel against the Ellison Eagles in Killeen, but it would be Ellison who would get that swing in the bottom of the 10th.

The Bulldawgs had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the seventh inning but failed to take advantage of the opportunity. A single by Tyler Ingram gave Cove their first hit of the night with one out in the 7th before a Josh Ropple walk and Nick Izquierdo was hit by the pitch of sophomore pitcher Edward Eakin to load the bases but the ninth strikeout on the night pitched by Eakin halted the Cove threat.

Ellison ended the duel 2 ½ innings later on an bases-loaded, walk-off RBI single to left field by Julien Jimenez’s gave the Eagles a 1-0 win over the Bulldawgs in the 10 inning thriller.

Junior pitcher Jaylen Smith led the Cove bats as well as pitching seven scorless innings. He was 2 for 4 from the plate. Ingram (1 for 4) added the only other hit for Cove.

William Tunstall was 2 for 4 with a run to lead Ellison while Garet Douglas added 1 for 3 and a walk and jiminez was 1 for 4 with the game-winning RBI and a walk.

Douglas picked up the win on the mound in relief for Eakin. Douglas allowed no runs on one hit in three innings while striking out five. Eakin finished the night with no runs on two hits while striking out nine and walking two.

Ingram suffered the loss in relief. He surrendered one run (none earned) on no hits while striking out four and walking four in two innings. Smith pitched seven scoreless innings while surrendering two hits, striking out eight and walking four.