Mavs waste shots to win

Mid-Missouri had its chances but wasted too many of them.

As a result, the Mavericks lost to the Rockford Riverhawks 4-3 at Taylor Stadium on Thursday.

The loss dropped the Mavericks to 29-44, and the Riverhawks improved to 37-35 in the Frontier League.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Mavericks had a chance to tie, but Riverhawks left fielder Doug Schutt made two diving catches to strand a runner.

Rockford opened the scoring in the top of the third inning with Ben Fjelland’s two-out, two-run double. Then, designated hitter Tory Haven hit a two-run home run over the left-field fence off starter Lenny Bays to give Rockford all the runs it needed.

Bays (6-8) threw 4 2-3 innings and gave up five hits, four runs and three walks. Three relievers did not allow any hits.

In the bottom of the third inning, Joe Nichols doubled. With one out, Adam Rittenhouse singled to move Nichols to third.

Nichols got stranded at third after Jake Whitesides flied to shallow left field, and Rockford starter Andy Davidson struck out Bill Greenwell to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Mavericks blew a chance to score.

Jose Carreno singled and advanced to second on Seth Brown’s sacrifice bunt. Darrell Sinclair and Spencer Doyle couldn’t drive in Carreno.

In the sixth, after Carreno, Brown and Sinclair hit consecutive singles, pinch hitter Wes Fewell flied out to end the inning.

In the seventh, the Mavericks scored three runs. With one out and the bases loaded, Whitesides hit a two-run single to right field. Carreno hit a single to right to add another run.

A mistake ruined the Mavericks’ chance to tie the game in the same inning.

With Whitesides on third base, the Mavericks tried a squeeze play, but Brown missed his bunt attempt, and Whitesides was caught between third base and home. He was tagged out.

Brown then grounded out to end the inning.