BY FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
Kobe Essien struck out 12 batters in 6 1/3 innings on Thursday as the Bulldogs edged visiting Bloomington, 5-4.
Essien allowed four hits and walked three. Ben Greenberger pitched the final two-thirds of an inning to pick up a save.
Jordan Veldman led the 12-hit M-S attack, going 3-for-4. Teammates Dylan Gates and Nate McFall each added two hits.
Jack McHale scored two runs and Veldman drove in two runs.
M-S went 0-2 in the weekend Charlie Due Tournament, which concluded on Saturday at Champaign Central.
The Bulldogs were held to four hits in a 3-2 opening-round loss to Rantoul.
Rick Bohlen pitched four innings of relief and suffered the loss. He allowed three hits, walked one and struck out three. Starter Kyle Kinney allowed two hits and no runs in three innings. He walked two and struck out two.
The Bulldogs’ hits were by Greenberger, Jack McHale, Grant Harvey and Bohlen. Harvey had a double and knocked in both runs.
McHale and Jake Anderson scored the M-S runs.
On Saturday, Normal U-High topped M-S, 5-2.
Both Bulldog hits were doubles, one by Veldman and one by Greenberger. They scored the two M-S runs.
Gates and Zack Chalk shared the pitching duties. Gates worked four innings.
The Bulldogs (16-9-2) return to action today at 4:30 p.m. at home against Urbana in a quarterfinal game of the M-S Class 3A Regional.
