BRYAN, Texas —
The Brazos Valley Bombers headed to extra innings for the second time this season in a 4-3 loss on the road to the Texarkana Twins.
Logan Teske made his debut for the Bombers on Thursday night. The right-handed pitcher is a native of Schertz, Texas, like his former high school and current Bombers teammate, Tyler Smith.
“He’s kind of a quiet guy,” said Smith. “He just kind of goes about his business. He’s good. He’s a good pitcher. He’s going to throw a lot of strikes for us. He’s got a good curveball, and I think he’s going to do good.”
Teske kept the Twins honest in the first inning but was forced to work around loaded bases in the bottom of the second due to an error at second base. Fortunately, a Fielder’s Choice from the defense and a strikeout from Teske kept the Twins off the board. Teske worked five innings for the Bombers. The Southeastern Oklahoma State product struck out three and allowed no runs.
The Bombers were first to score off an RBI stand-up double from Hunter Coleman to bring Kyle Bergeron home in the top of the second inning. Coleman was subsequently knocked in by Sam McElreath after advancing to third on a wild pitch. The elder Coleman brother came through again in the top of the fourth with a solo home run to advance the Bombers 3-0 effort.
Joe Buckendorff took the mound in relief for the Bombers in the bottom of the sixth, but the defense began to unravel a little in his second inning of play. Blake Shannon took Buckendorff for an RBI double to drive in the Twins first score in the seventh. Cole Sichley replaced Buckendorff on the mound, and the Twins evened things up with no outs on a two-RBI single from Tom Lichty. Sichley struck out one, struck one and allowed a single and a double in his lone inning.
Brian Williams entered the game in the bottom of the eighth and recorded five outs over the course of three innings. The Twins were able to record a single in the bottom of the tenth, but the Bombers defense was able to strand the runner and head to the 11th inning.
The Twins pitching pool proved excellent throughout the night, facing the minimum five times through the first nine innings.
Extra innings proved to be a defensive duel as the Bombers and Twins continued to blank one another. The Bombers, looking to save their bullpen, sent catcher Jacob Padilla to the mound on what was expected to be his night off. Padilla struck out one in the 11th to send the game to the 12th. Padilla took the mound again in the 12th and gave it a valiant effort, but Ryne Randle was able to drive Steven Bonus home to give the Twins a 4-3 lead and the win on Thursday night.
The Bombers lose their second straight and fall to 10-2. They return home to Bombers Stadium Friday to continue their series against the Twins, now 7-4 on the year.
