Despite sophomore Nathan Sigg having yet another great game at the plate for the JV baseball team, the Rangers could not overcome the Greenville Yellow Jackets scoring 6 runs in the top of the sixth inning, falling 11-8. At the plate, Nathan went 2 for 3 with two base hits, 2 runs scored and a walk, reaching base 3 times, the ninth time he’s done so in a game this year.

“[Nathan] Sigg had a couple of big hits early,” Head coach Jimmy Murray said. “We’ve really come to expect that from him this season, he’s been awesome for us all year long.”

Sophomore Isaac Gurley got the start on the mound for the Rangers, battling through an injury to last just one inning. He allowed 3 hits and a walk but was able to get the third out of the inning, trailing just 2-0. In the bottom of the first inning, the first four Ranger batters reached and all later came around to score to give FHC a 4-2 lead after one inning of play.

“We’ve been starting out hot a lot lately,” Nathan said. “Usually when we do, it’s a really good thing for us. But tonight, we just had the one bad inning that cost us the game.”

Sophomore southpaw Alec Gast came on to relieve Isaac in the second and set the Greenville batters down in order. In the top of the third inning, with the game still at 4-2, Alec hit a batter who stole second base and later came around to score on a base hit. In the top of the fourth inning, Greenville was able to take the lead at 5-4 on run-scoring singles and doubles. In the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Jonah Spates reached base on an error and proceeded to put himself in scoring position by stealing second base. Jonah would later come around to score when sophomore Dawsen Beach also reached base on an error, tying the game up at 5.

“We really felt like we had all of the momentum,” sophomore Maguire Mahacek said. “It was just the one inning that really hurt us.”

After a scoreless fifth inning from both teams, the Yellow Jackets exploded for 6 runs in the top of the sixth. After retiring the first batter of the inning, the next 5 Yellow Jacket batters were able to reach base and subsequently scoring. With 4 runs in and 2 still on base, Maguire came in to pitch the Rangers out of the jam. Although those two runners scored, Maguire was able to get the last two outs of the inning to hold the Greenville lead to 11-5. Greenville was able to piece together a couple of hits but greatly benefitted from the Rangers committing 4 errors.

“We had several errors in the sixth,” Murray said. “We let them capitalize on them and take extra bases off of them.”

After going down in order in the bottom of the sixth, the Rangers got a mini-rally going in the bottom of the seventh. Nathan, as well as fellow sophomores Sean Macleod and Logan Vanlente, were able to reach base and all three scored, but the Greenville pitcher was able to record the final outs, clinching an 11-8 victory for Greenville.

With the loss, the Rangers fall to 12-9 on the season, and finished as OK White conference champions at 10-4 in conference play. The Rangers will finish the season Saturday when they participate in the conference tournament, which they enter as the number one seed.

“We definitely have a target on our back being the number one seed,” Murray said. “But we also have high hopes for the tournament, we’re trying to end this season on a high note.