By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - The Brandywine baseball team suffered its fourth loss of the season Tuesday afternoon at home against South Bend Clay, 13-4.
The game originally was supposed to be played at Clay, but was switched to Brandywine due to field problems.
Brandywine, now 0-4, had a lot of problems on defense with some passed balls and missed grounders which allowed Clay to score some easy runs.
So was this a typical spring break game? Brandywine coach Dave Sidenbender said he wasn't sure what it was. "We've been playing so well defensively until today. I hope it's just an aboration."
Clay scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, the Colonials scored another five runs to give them a 7-0 lead.
The Bobcats were finally able to score three runs in the top of the third and two in the top of the fourth to put them on the board, but Clay scored four more runs in the bottom of the fourth to put them up 11-4.
Clay was able to get three outs in a row in the top of the fifth.
Jon Overholt hit an infield ground ball, but was thrown out at first. Zach Bennett, who pitched the first four innings, struck out and Jake Harris, who took over pitching for Bennett in the fourth, was also thrown out at first.
Clay's Charlton Keultjes was hit by a pitch from Harris in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Michael O'Neil hit a ground ball to Harris, but an error at first base advanced O'Neil to second and allowed Keultjes to score to keep the Colonials up by eight runs, 12-4.
Matt Wieger made the first out for the Bobcats and Ronnie Dials struck out, but another error by Brandywine allowed O'Neil to score.
Kory Bridges made the final out of the inning with an outfield catch.
The top of the sixth didn't work out well for the Bobcats either. Bridges hit a fly ball to center, but Dials made the catch for the first out for Clay.
Alan Schoff struck out for the second out. Overholt made it to first base on a walk, but Alex Newman's infield ground ball caused the third out when he was thrown out at first.
Brandywine looked better defensively in the bottom of the sixth. Justin Ely stepped in to pitch for the last inning.
Clay went down in order in the seventh.
The Bobcats had one more chance to catch up in the top of the seventh.
Wieger was up first for Brandwyine, but was thrown out at first. JD Miller was also thrown out at first from the infield. Josh Atwood was walked, but Bennett's infield hit to shortstop caused the third out and gave Clay the 13-4 win.
Brandywine travels to the Bronson Tournament this weekend. Games are set to begin at 10 a.m.