Bowling Green School’s Buccaneers suffered a 2-0 home loss in a pitchers’ duel against Wayne Academy in the district opener.
Bowling Green’s Timmy Ruffino and Wayne Academy’s Dawson Davis were both on their game and had similar stat lines. Neither allowed an earned run. Ruffino allowed two hits and Davis gave up three. Ruffino struck out nine while Davis had 10 strikeouts.
Ruffino walked two while Davis walked three hitters. Each pitcher threw a complete game. Ruffino did not allow a hit after Michael Watson singled to lead off the third inning. Wayne had two base runners after that, as White walked in the third and reached on an error during the sixth.
The contest only lasted about 90 minutes.
“We knew that’s what it was going to be and it would be a battle,” Bowling Green coach Justin Garcia said. “Wayne’s a good team. They’re athletic. We know the righty (Davis) that they threw tonight is a good pitcher and we were going to try to scratch a couple, but that’s the best I saw Ruffino all year. He stepped up to the challenge and competed and gave us a chance. It’s baseball though and we’re not going to panic. It’s game one of nine (in district). We pitch like that, we’ll be fine.”
The runs were scored in the first inning.
Colton Coxwell walked. Logan White doubled after an error, as the Bucs dropped a foul ball earlier in the at bat. Jacob Castle’s sacrifice fly sent Coxwell home and White scored on Cole Evans’ RBI groundout to make it 2-0.
Neither team scored after that, as both pitchers were tough the entire game.
Bowling Green’s Cade Knight singled and walked.
Denzel Evans and Casey Burge had a hit each.
Rece Dillon and Sammy Phelps both walked.
Coxwell walked and tallied a run.
White doubled, walked and scored a run.
Castle and Evans drove in a run each.
Watson singled.