SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. – Duplicating his performance from his previous start, Jan Lopez (Colegio Nuestra Senora del Pilar H.S./Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) yielded two earned runs in six innings in the Olive-Harvey baseball team’s 5-1 loss to South Suburban College on Saturday at SSC.
With the four runs surrendered in 12 innings in his last two outings, Lopez has lowered his earned-run average to 3.97, which ranks second on the team.
Defense played a key role early in Lopez’s success against the Bulldogs as the Panthers turned a triple play in the first inning and a double play in the second. However, four miscues in the field enabled the hosts to score three unearned runs.
OHC jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning after Kenneth O’Farrill (Vocacional Miguel Such H.S./Loiza, Puerto Rico) walked, stole second and advanced to third on Ronald Applewhite’s (Rich East H.S.) single before scoring on a double play.
South Suburban deadlocked the game at 1-1 in the bottom half of the third inning and went ahead 2-1 in the fourth after scoring an unearned run. The hosts added their final three markers – two of which were unearned – in the seventh.
Lopez struck out two and gave up five hits in his fourth start of the year. Relievers Julio Castro (Island Coast H.S./Cape Coral, Fla.) and Jeremiah Williams (Thornton Fractional North H.S.) both pitched a scoreless inning, combining for three strikeouts and allowing just one runner to reach base on a walk.
Offensively, Kardenis Jimenez (Luz America Calderon H.S./Carolina, Puerto Rico) doubled, while Alfred Lott (Hales Franciscan H.S.), Gabriel Sanchez (Spring H.S./Houston, Texas) and Bryan Colon (Pro Baseball Academy/Arroyo, Puerto Rico) all singled.
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