[4/26/03] UNION In a game of sloppy defense, St. Aloysius scored first but could not hold back Union, falling 5-1 in the first game of the second round of the Class 1A playoffs Friday night.

Union pitcher Jody Blount held St. Al to one run and three hits in seven innings, struck out eight, and didn’t allow a hit after the third inning.

Union blew the game open with a three-run barrage in the sixth, two of the runs coming on RBI singles by Jacob Casey and Sean Ferrell, and St. Al could not answer back.

St. Al still had opportunities throughout the game, thanks to three Union errors, but stranded five runners.

“We didn’t come out and show these people what we’re made of,” St. Al coach Joe Graves said. “We were flat.”

The two teams play again today at 2 p.m. at Bazinsky Field in Game 2 of the best-of-three series. Alex Frisbee will start for St. Al, while Union will counter with left-hander Wes Henry.

“If we can get everybody to play like we’re capable, with the abilities that we bring to the field, I don’t have any doubt that we can win this,” Graves said.

The Flashes (14-6) jumped out to an early lead with a bases-loaded walk by Jordan Muirhead in the first, scoring Charlie Amborn, but an error by Chad Cox in the bottom of the inning allowed a run to tie the score at 1-1.

Union (20-11) added another run in the third on an RBI single by catcher Jordan Robinson to score Casey, who reached base on an error.

Jason Brown threw six innings for St. Al, giving up five runs, two walks, two hit batsmen, and five hits. He had eight strikeouts. The Flashes committed five errors in the game, each contributing to Yellowjacket runs.

“Enthusiasm and execution on defense was a four out of a possible 10,” Graves said. “We just did not execute on defense. We weren’t aggressive. We let the ball play us.”

No. 9 hitter Kyle Richards reached base on an error to lead off the fifth, but the top of St. Al’s lineup failed to bring him in. Rob Jones then reached on an error to start the sixth and advanced to second on a passed ball. He was cut down on a bizarre double play, however, killing the rally.

Alex Frisbee struck out, and was thrown out at first after Robinson dropped the ball. As Jones tried to advance to third, Union first baseman Paul McMahan fired across the diamond to Ferrell to complete the double play.

“We let good pitches go by and swung at bad pitches,” Graves said.

Danny Cain led off the bottom of the sixth with a double for Union, then McMahan reached on an error and Jeff Brantley was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After Brooks Vance struck out, Casey and Ferrell each delivered RBI singles to put the Yellowjackets on top 4-1.

Blount then reached on an error, bringing home another run before Brown got a strikeout and a groundout to escape the inning, but St. Al did not threaten in the seventh.