By Sam Catanzariti

The Champion City Kings were unable to keep up with the Butler BlueSox on Sunday at Carleton Davidson stadium.  The Kings allowed the BlueSox to take the lead with a three run home run and were unable to capitalize on opportunities with men on base, resulting in a 6-3 loss.

“I think our hitters have the tendency to try to hit the long ball with bases loaded instead of just trying to get a base hit,” said coach Rick White.  “And that’s why you see a lot of pop-ups or shallow fly-balls, because they’re trying to swing too hard instead of just trying to make good contact and see what happens,” said White.

The Kings tied the game in the sixth inning.  D.J. Dillon advanced to first on a walk.  Jordan Branz hit a single in the gap between left and center for a single. A sacrifice bunt from Justin Stinson allowed Dillon and Branz to advance to second and third.  Dillon scored off an RBI single from Louis Miceli.  Branz scored off an RBI single from Philip Wells, tying the game with only one out in the inning and momentum on their side.  That momentum was lost as Tanner Burns and Jett Swetland both hit fly balls to right field for outs two and three.

The Kings starting pitcher Connor Curlis was the only thing that kept the BlueSox from taking back the lead.  After a slow start, Curlis retired thirteen batters in a row and had a total of nine strikeouts in the seven innings that he pitched.

“He (Curlis) couldn’t find his release point in the first inning but then he settled in,”  said White.  “He ended up going six more solid innings and kept us in the game, that’s what you need this player to do, and he did it well.”

“Then Parker (Thode) just couldn’t locate his fastball and they jumped on it pretty quick,”  said White.

After a pitching substitution for the Kings that swapped Curlis for Parker Thode, the BlueSox reclaimed their lead in the eighth inning.  A two-run home run and and a two-run RBI double made it a 6-2 game.  

“Besides that, our pitchers have been doing really good, we’re just struggling with hitting right now,” said White.  “As long as we can keep the games close we got a chance, nobodies really just beating our butts,”  White continued.  “We’ve got to find the right rhythm.”

The Kings will search for that rhythm in their next home game against the Chillicothe Paints on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. at Carleton Davidson Stadium  If the Kings can win in their next few games, they could put themselves back in the running for first place in the East Division of the Prospect League.