DYERSBURG, Tenn. — The Raiders fought all the way back after a disastrous first inning, but couldn't keep the momentum going. After allowing six runs before getting its first out, Three Rivers tied the game before losing 11-8 against Dyersburg State on Tuesday. "That's probably as good as we've swung the bats in awhile," Three Rivers coach Stacey Burkey said. "The weather didn't allow us to have any pre-game batting practice or anything." Fernando Burgos, who tweaked his ankle while pitching Thursday, allowed two hits, two walks and two hit batters before being relieved. Five of the six runs against him were earned. The first seven Eagles reached base, including one by an error against Burgos, and the bases were loaded with nobody out when Ty Lumley took the hill for the Raiders. Blake McCutchen had a two-run single off Lumley, but that was the last of the damage in the first inning. Three Rivers (8-11), down 6-0, tied the game by the end of the fourth inning. William Stallings and TyReik Thomas scored in the second after reaching on a walk and an error. Dyersburg State (15-7) added a run in the bottom of the second and in the third, Garyn Stewart started things off with a double to the gap in right-center field and Reece Reading singled behind him. Both scored on Stallings' double, and then he scored when Dylan Kater singled up the middle, cutting the Eagles' lead to 7-5. In the fourth, Beau Burson walked to start the inning and rolling things over to the top of the lineup. Drew Evans singled and Grant Miller moved them over with a sacrifice bunt. Stewart scored Burson with a groundout to the right side, and Reading tied the game with a single to right. "That reflects our mental approach. I think hopefully these guys can learn they've probably been over-analyzing things in the batter's box," Burkey said. Dyersburg State retook the lead on JP Bitzenhofer's two-run double in the sixth inning that was fair by about six inches. "With the wind blowing a little bit more it probably goes foul," Burkey said. 

Kater reached on an error and scored in the eighth, making it a one run game, and then Chandler Adkins and Hagan Severance had solo home runs for the Eagles in the bottom of the eighth. Three Rivers got its leadoff runner on base in each of the first four innings, but not in any of the last five. In the first inning, the only one of the first four where the Raiders didn't score, Evans was thrown out at home on a bang-bang play after trying to score from second. "The first half inning, it looked like we were going to be aggressive at the plate and it was going to be a good day," Burkey said. Evans, who was moved into the leadoff spot recently because of injuries, was 4 for 4 with a run and two RBIs. He was stranded once after being thrown out at home and being caught in a fielder's choice. Evans is on a five-game hitting streak and is 10 for 21 since March 15 after getting just four hits in the previous 12 games. "I think it just boils down to he's getting some at-bats now," Burkey said. "He probably pressed a little early and now he's settled in." He is now hitting .275 for the season, which is third on team behind injured leadoff hitter Preston Hart and Stewart. Reading was 3 for 5 with a run and Stallings scored twice with two RBIs. Lumley pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief and allowed five hits and a walk with two strikeouts. "He was to be our Game 2 starter," Burkey said of the cancelled nightcap. "That's by far his best appearance for us. So that was really encouraging." Bryce Alcorn (0-1) took the loss after relieving Lumley in the fifth inning. Alcorn allowed two walks and a hit with one strikeout. Parker Dent pitched the final two innings and had three strikeouts and a walk. The only two hits off him were home runs.

Scott Borkgren - Daily American Republic