Sox come up short in pitchers' duel

Levi Bain endured 10 innings on the mound for the Sox before the visiting Bulldogs scratched out a one-run win. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge]

Entering the sixth inning Shelbyville Sox starting pitcher Levi Bain matched Nashville Bulldogs hurler Jeff Lykins pitch for pitch as both right-handers mowed through batters in a Tennessee Baseball Federation matchup at Eugene Ray Field on Wednesday night.

The Sox dropped the nearly three-hour affair 3-2 in 10 innings but didn't go down without a fight.

Miscommunication on a pickoff play at first base led to a balk call on Bain, which gave the Bulldogs a runner in scoring position with two down in the top half of the sixth. The next batter laced a single down the left field line to put the visitors up 1-0.

Lykins, who just finished his five-year career at Austin Peay this past spring, got strikeouts Nos. 8 and 9 in the bottom of the frame and things were looking bleak for the local boys.

Bain looked like he was wearing down in the seventh when the first four batters reached base, subsequently leading to another score. The Cascade product buckled down to get a pop up and ground out with runners in scoring position.

Josh Simmons walked to lead off the Shelbyville eighth. Courtesy runner Stefin Reed stole second and third base and came home on an error off the bat of Bryan Price.

The Sox (3-9) exercised some patience at the plate with their backs against the wall in the ninth against reliever and Martin Methodist left-hander Bryan Woodlee. With two outs, Simmons earned the fourth free pass of the inning to plate Reed and the game-tying score.

Bain trotted back out to the hill to give try to give his team another chance in the longest outing of his baseball career in the 10th frame. Nashville got their leadoff man on with a single and scored the game-winner on a wild pitch with two outs.

Bain fanned seven, walked two and gave up nine hits.

Shelbyville faces the Murfreesboro Bombers on Sunday at 4 in Madison.