Fannett-Metal (5-2) travelled to Claysburg-Kimmel (5-1) on Friday night for an ICC Cross Conference game against the Bulldogs.  The Bulldogs turned in an all-around good game to knock off the visiting Tigers by a 9-5 score.

The Tigers loaded the bases with three straight hits in the opening inning but could not put a run on the board.  The Bulldogs started the bottom of the inning with five straight hits off Tiger starter Wade Appleby to jump out to a 4-0 lead.

The Tigers displayed some grit in the second inning by answering back with four runs of their own to tie the game at 4-4.  Noah Naugle led off with a walk.  Logan Hall followed with a single.  A balk moved runners to 2nd and 3rd.  Tucker Seibert’s RBI ground out scored Naugle.  Jake Coffman plated Logan Hall on a RBI single to make it 4-2.  Coffman scored from first base on Wade Appleby’s RBI double to the 407′ mark in right center.  Appleby moved to third on Adam Hammond’s infield hit and scored on the second balk by Bulldog Pitcher Brayden Haney in the inning.  

After a rough first inning Appleby settled in holding the Bulldogs scoreless in the 2nd thru 5th innings and only giving up 2 hits in that span.  Haney also kept the Tigers bats quiet until he ran into some trouble in the 6th inning.  

Tucker Seibert walked to start the 6th and moved to 2nd on Jake Coffman’s sacrifice bunt.  Seibert moved to 3rd on an errant pickoff attempt by Haney.  He scored on Wade Appleby’s third base hit of the night, a RBI single to give the Tigers a 6-5 lead.

With Appleby’s pitch count running high the Bulldogs started the bottom of the 6th with a single, error on a bunt attempt and a mental miscue on another bunt attempt to load the bases.  That would end Appleby’s night.  Reliever Adam Hammond enticed lead off hitter Gavin Treon to an infield pop up. However, the Bulldogs catcher Matt Campagna launched a high fly ball that dropped behind the 300′ mark for a grand slam and a 8-5 lead.  The Bulldogs added another run on a walk, stolen base and error to lead 9-5.  The Tigers went down in order in the bottom of the 7th to face a tough loss.  

“This was a pretty good ball game tonight.  They jumped out to that early lead and I was proud of how we immediately responded to tie the game.  Appleby threw a good game after that opening inning and gave us a chance.  Our boys kept battling all game but give credit to Claysburg they earned the victory tonight”, Coffman said.  

Wade Appleby was charged with the loss.  He pitched 5+ innings. He gave up 7 runs on 9 hits.  He had 5 K and 3 BB. Reliever Adam Hammond pitched 1 inning.  He gave up 2 runs, 1 hit and 2 BBs.  Starting Pitcher Brayden Haney went 5.1 innings.  He gave up 5 runs on 9 hits.  He had 6 K and 5 BB.  Bulldog Reliever Gavin Treon got the win for the Bulldogs.  He pitched the final 1.2 innings.  

The Tigers had 9 hits on the evening.  Appleby had 3 hits and a pair of RBIs.  Adam Hammond had a pair of hits.  Jake Coffman, Landon Arnold, Logan Hall and Tucker Seibert had hits.  Seibert and Coffman had RBIs. 

The Tigers host Southern Fulton on Tuesday evening in a pivotal ICC South game at 4:30.