Deacon Jones Invitational: Spring Creek turns back Princeton, 7-4

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 18, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

PRINCETON -- Spring Creek's defense started out in shaky fashion.

Logan Miller needed an inning or two to find his groove.

Once the two meshed, the Gators cruised past Princeton, 7-4, in consolation-round play of the 2014 Deacon Jones Invitational on a sun-splashed Thursday afternoon.

Miller retired seven of nine batters during the early stages and finished with a six-hitter in 52/3 innings on the bump. The southpaw logged six strikeouts and permitted four runs (three earned).

"(After Wednesday), we knew we had to play better, have more intensity," said Miller, who earned a nod on the all-tournament team. "(As pitchers) we had to throw strikes and get the ball over the plate today."

Princeton (6-10 overall) collected three runs on three hits and a couple of walks during the first three-plus innings. Miller ended the fourth with three consecutive strikeouts and used the curveball as his "out" pitch the rest of the afternoon.

Miller and right-handed reliever Will Rouse coerced the Bulldogs into nine strikeouts on the day. Princeton logged 19 Ks in the scorebook during the two-day Invitational.

The Dogs stranded four runners in scoring position.

"The curveball helped a lot today," Miller said. "They had trouble sitting on that and that was my 'go-to' pitch if I got in trouble. When you can get settled down and get into a rhythm, it's just easier (and) a lot better."

Rouse earned the save for the Gators, who collected their 12th win in their last 13 outings this season.

Spring Creek (15-3) managed just six hits against Princeton's tandem of Tyler Beasley and Tanner Flowers. The Gators scratched out runs in five of seven innings, including two each in the sixth and seventh innings.

Tied at 3-3, Sawyer Smith pushed across Miller with an RBI double down the third-base line in the sixth inning. Rouse drove in Smith with an RBI fielder's choice to make it 5-3.

Princeton pulled to within 5-4, but obliged its guest with three critical seventh-inning errors. The defensive miscues led to a pair of unearned runs.

Sawyer Smith paced the Gators' offense with two hits and two RBI. Catcher Allen Coor, who made the all-tournament team, Miller, Matt Rogers and Mason Harkay provided one hit apiece.

Coor, Rogers and Rouse each had an RBI.

"(Today) was a little better," SC head coach Heath Whitfield said. "Logan pitched out of a lot of jams and made some pitches when he had to. Our defense finally started coming around and making some plays in key situations when we needed them.

"We finally started putting the ball in play and made some things happen offensively. (Overall) it wasn't pretty, but we did what we had to do to win."