Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

They say sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. The St. Joseph Flyers found out the hard way.
In a pitcher’s duel, the Greater Beckley Christian Crusaders got two runs in the eighth inning to edge the St. Joseph Flyers 3-2 on Monday.
The loss was costly to St. Joseph as senior Chase Wilds suffered a broken ankle. The Flyers lost senior Trae Crabtree before the season with a broken leg.
“If it wasn’t for bad luck, we wouldn’t have any luck at all,” said Flyers’ coach Greg Bryant. “It was a good game. Their pitcher was pretty good. Isaac Whaley threw a heck of a game for us.”
Whaley went seven innings and allowed just one run and three hits. He struck out eight and walked three.
Blake Hunt went 7.2 innings for the win. He gave up six hits, two runs and struck out 10 with four walks. Andrew Patterson struck out the only batter he faced for the save.
The Flyers broke up the scoreless tie with a run in the fifth.
With one out, Jimmy Mahlmeister walked and went to third on Michael Mahlmeister’s hit who went to second on the throw to third base.
Elijah Rowe then put down a suicide squeeze bunt to score the run.
“Elijah Rowe had a huge two-strike squeeze to give us the lead. Michael hit extremely well, too.,” said Bryant noting Mahlmeister going 3-for-3.
The Crusaders tied the game in the sixth with two outs on a single by Hunt and a triple by Patterson.
The Flyers had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the seventh.
With two outs, Jimmy Mahlmeister singled and tried to score on a hit by Michael Mahlmeister but was ruled out on a play at home.
In the eighth, Seth Wolfe and Hunt singled and an error scored Wolfe. Patterson then singled home what proved to be the winning run.
The Flyers rallied in the bottom of the inning only to come up short.
Izsak Unger and Jackson Rowe walked and Matt Sheridan had a two-out RBI single. Whaley walked and Patterson came on to get a strikeout to end the game.
Greater B.C. 000 001 02 = 3 6 2
St. Joseph 000 010 01 = 2 6 1
Blake Hunt, Andrew Patterson (8) and Andrew Patterson, Blake Hunt (8). Isaac Whaley, Jackson Rowe (8) and Michael Mahlmeister. W-Hunt (IP-7.2, H-6, R-2, ER-1, K-10, BB-4). Save-Patterson (IP-0.1, K-1). L-Rowe (IP-1.0, H-3, R-2, ER-1, K-2, BB-0). Whaley (IP-7.0, H-3, R-1, ER-1, K-8, BB-3). Hitting-GBC: Seth Wolf 1-4, Blake Hunt 2-4, Andrew Patterson 2-3 3B 2-rbi, Reece Standard 1-3; St. Joe: Matt Sheridan 1-4 rbi, Isaac Whaley 1-3, Jimmy Mahlmeister 1-2, Michael Mahlmeister 3-3.