Cougars drop three during slight slump

Senior Jacob Chronister unleashes a mighty cut. [Click to enlarge]

On Monday, the squad played host to the piping-hot Warriors of East Poinsett County. The Cougars were downed 12-2 in six innings, as EPC's headline-grabber Chris Maddox hit for the cycle, capping his offensive outburst with a two-run homerun.

Rector trailed 4-0 going into the third. Senior Justin Duke managed a single and stole second before coming home on a passed ball in the infield. Rector added another run off the bat of senior Logan Buck in the fourth, but aside from that, it was all EPC.

Lando Bass hit a first inning three-run homer to set the tone early for the visitors.

Rector managed just three hits for the game, with Buck's RBI single, Duke's single and a single from senior James Bradshaw.

The loss dropped the Cougars to 4-3 in 2A-North league play.

"We just ran into a really good team," Rector coach Nate Henderson said. "This is the second time we've played EPC and they're one of the best teams we'll play. That said, we didn't do ourselves any favors. We've got to make plays and force teams to make mistakes. We didn't put any pressure on them."

Loss to Marked Tree

Rector lost a pair of games Friday, the first to visiting Marked Tree, 7-2.

Rector managed seven hits in the game, two of which came off the bat of Duke, who bagged a triple and scored a run. However, the offense could never come together consistently, as the squad left a total of nine men on base. Buck, Bradshaw, Clinton Haley, Dalton Shaw and Kirk Horton had a hit each for the Cougars.

"We weren't able to string many hits together," Henderson said. "Whenever we got on base, we were pretty much stuck there because we weren't able to consecutively put together good at-bats."

Four of Marked Tree's runs came off defensive miscues.

"I thought we pitched well enough to win," Henderson said. "We just didn't make the plays out in the field.

Loss to Marmaduke

In the second half of Friday's twinbill, the Cougars were downed by Marmaduke, 6-2.

Buck took the loss for Rector, giving up three earned runs in five innings.

Former Cougar hurler Mason Knight got the win for Marmaduke.

"Again, we were right there with them," Henderson said. "If we cut down some errors, we're in that game.

"Marmaduke came ready to play and we didn't. That's basically the story of how the day went for us. We came to the ballfield like we expected these two teams to roll over for us and they didn't. Most teams won't."

Rector was slated to host Turrell Tuesday. The Cougars are scheduled to visit Monette Thursday to wrap up conference play. Rector will host Bay beginning at 4 p.m. Monday. The district tournament is set to begin April 17 at Monette.