JetHawks Can’t Climb Out of Hole This Time

The Lancaster JetHawks fell behind by five runs after three innings and a late rally came up short in an 8-5 loss to the San Jose Giants on Sunday before 4,921 at the Hangar.

There were none of the late heroics the JetHawks had on Saturday night, when they overcame a 5-0 deficit after six innings to beat San Jose, 6-5.

JetHawk right-hander Eric Morgan (1-1) gave up five runs on nine hits in four innings. Meanwhile, the JetHawks (11-13) got only four hits and no runs against the Giants’ Lorenzo Barcelo in the first six innings before clawing back against two relievers.

Trailing 7-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the JetHawks finally got on the board when Yuni Kim hit a solo home run, his team-leading sixth. In the eighth, Chris Dean hit his first homer, a three-run shot that pulled the JetHawks within 7-4.

San Jose added an insurance run in the ninth. In the bottom of the inning, David Skeels doubled home a run, but the JetHawks could get no closer.

It was the first hit of the season for Skeels, a Thousand Oaks High graduate who is the JetHawks’ No. 3 catcher. He had only batted three times in the first 23 games.

Joe Mathis and Shawn Buhner each had two of the JetHawks’ 11 hits.

The Giants pounded out 16 hits, including four by leadoff hitter Tim Garland and three each from Mike Caruso, Todd Wilson and Pete Ramirez, who hit two home runs.

The three-game series concludes at 7:15 tonight in Lancaster.