By: Sammy Johnson

The Pilots lost tonight’s game against the Wilson Tobs 7-4. The Pilots beat themselves with five total errors. Starting pitcher Brian Ereu pitched well, but it doesn’t show up in the box score. The errors hurt him throughout his start, as only two of his five runs were earned. He ended up giving up two earned runs over four innings with four strikeouts. Trey Morgan (VMI) led the Pilots in hits, going 2-5.

The Pilots shot themselves in the foot in the first inning with two errors and a wild pitch. These miscues led to a two-out RBI single to propel the Tobs to an early 1-0 lead.

Cole Stanford (Lenoir-Rhyne) threw out a Tobs runner trying to steal second base to end the top of the second. This was Stanford’s second caught stealing of the year. 

The Pilots got two runners on in the top of the third inning with singles by Elijah Dickerson (VMI) and Trey Morgan (VMI). With two outs in the inning, third baseman Chris Martinez (Univ. of Science and Arts) hit another single to drive in a run and even the game at 1-1.

Miscues hurt the Pilots again in the bottom of the third, with the leadoff runner getting on via error. Later in the inning, a two-run single propelled Wilson to a 3-1 lead.

Henry Garcia (Howard College) hit a hustle double to right-center in the top of the fourth inning, putting runners on second and third. An RBI groundout by Aaron Manias (Howard College) and an RBI bunt single by Cole Stanford knotted the game up again at 3-3. 

Back-to-back doubles to start the fifth inning for the Tobs extended their league to 5-3. Stanford threw out a runner at third later in the inning for his second caught stealing of the game.

A wild pitch plated another run for the Tobs in the bottom of the sixth, pushing the Wilson lead to 6-3. 

Zac Morris (VMI) homered in the top of the eighth inning to cut the lead to 6-4. 

The Tobs got insurance in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double to make it 7-4.

The Pilots are back in action on the road tomorrow against the Martinsville Mustangs.