Vigilantes Don’t Deliver in Clutch

Everything the Vigilantes were on Wednesday, they weren’t on Thursday.

One night after getting key two-out hits to win and put themselves in position to sweep an opponent for the first time this season, the Vigilantes weren’t very good with runners on base even if there weren’t two outs.

Grays Harbor, last in the North Division, got a surprisingly good defensive performance and beat the Vigilantes, 5-0, in front of an announced 1,877 at Saddleback College.

The Gulls, who have made 47 errors this season and had lost four of its previous five, performed flawlessly.

So, too, did the Vigilantes. Where they erred was the batter’s box.

The Vigilantes loaded the bases in the third as the bottom of the order, Duane Bostic and Bodie Shepherd, singled. Brian Grebeck, the leadoff batter, was hit in the arm.

But the top of the lineup folded. Willie Mosher and Brad Gennaro struck out--Gennaro, batting third in the order, did so looking--and Alan Burke lined to center field to end the inning.

That was the best chance the Vigilantes had to affect the game’s outcome.

“Anytime you’re in a situation like that, you have to take advantage of that point in time,” Burke said. “We didn’t get it done. After that, you hope you get another chance. But that’s the task at hand.”

Grays Harbor’s Jared Ewen (1-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings and struck out six. Ewen left with Mosher at first base after his only walk.

John Mahlberg came on to face Burke, who struck out looking, and Gagliano, who grounded to second base.

Grebeck, Gennaro and Burke had gotten clutch two-out hits in Wednesday’s victory over the Gulls.

The Vigilantes were trying to win three games in a row for the first time this season.

It wasted a solid outing by Brent Hansen after a rocky first, in which he gave up two runs. He faced the minimum 12 batters over the next four innings before a single by Mike Rendina and an RBI double by Chris Vasquez.

Hansen left after seven innings, giving up six hits.

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Vigilantes On Deck

vs. Tri-City Posse

* 6:55 p.m. Friday-Saturday

5:35 p.m. Sunday

Site--Saddleback College

Radio--KPLS (830)

Records--Posse 9-10, Vigilantes 8-11

Record vs. Posse--First meeting

Update--The Posse has two pitchers among the league leaders in earned-run average, Freddie Toliver (0-1, 1.84) and Tim Reynolds (0-0, 1.96). Tri-City’s Corey Paul had six home runs through 18 games. Vigilantes first baseman Alan Burke (.338) leads the WBL with seven homers.