Timely Hitting Eludes Bees

(Cauy Massner delivers in a 9-1 loss to O'Fallon)  

Bottom lines can be deceiving.  When the dust settled in the heat at Community Field Thursday night, there was little difference in the box score when the defending Prospect League Champions came to town for a single game, except the 9-1 final.

The O' Fallon Hoots had 10 hits, Burlington had 7.  The Bees drew 6 walks, O'Fallon drew 9.  The teams combined for 28 strike outs.  The home team left 11 on base, the visitors left 10.

The difference in the game was simply timely hitting, as O' Fallon took the win.

Iowa Wesleyan sophomore Cauy Massner (0-1) started for Burlington and took the loss.  Steve Escarcega, Nick Tampa and Jaxon Ingram combine to allow an addition 4 runs over the last four innings.

Burlington squandered an opportunity in the fifth when Spencer Nivens came up with a 1 out walk.  Kevin Santiago followed with a single making it first and second.  The duo sandwiched a double steal between two strikeouts, leaving them stranded.

In the home seventh, Sam Monroe opened with a single.  Niven walked, but Santiago grounded in to a 4-6-3 double play to stifle another threat.

Burlington's one score came in the second.  Brandon Bickford walked.  A wild pitched moved him to second.  Dawson Estep drove him home with a double to the gap in right center.  That would be the only run for the Bees, who fall to 5-11 on the year.

Burlington is home against Quincy for a fireworks night Friday.