Prep baseball | Errant throw in second costs Manatee against Bartow in Sarasota Classic

SARASOTA -- The difference between the start of Manatee's turnaround and a continuation of its recent slide was one throw to first base.

The bases were loaded for Shawn Cribbs with one out in the second inning when the infielder ripped a ground ball to the pitcher's mound. One run would score to tie the game. An accurate throw to third, though, would put the Hurricanes one out away from escaping the jam.

Zachery Rodgers reached down to make the stop and then set his feet to throw to first base. But the pitcher's throw sailed wide of Jordon Ely and a one-run groundout became a bases-clearing, three-base error.

"He threw the ball great," Viera said. "You have one inning. All year we've done it. We've had a seventh inning or sixth inning, where we've kicked the ball or made one mistake and it's backfired on us."

The Yellow Jackets wound up scoring five runs in the inning, with only one being earned against Rodgers. Those were all the runs Bartow scored and the Yellow Jackets sent the Canes to their third consecutive loss at the Sarasota Baseball Classic, 5-2.

Manatee (6-11) has stumbled, dropping seven of nine since a 4-4 start. Losses such as Wednesday's

at Buck O'Neil Baseball Complex have become too commonplace. To the Hurricanes, it feels like they are one play, one mistake away from a win. At Twin Lakes Park, it was true.

Rodgers needed 82 pitches for the complete game against Bartow. He held the Yellow Jackets (7-7) to one earned run, struck out four and surrendered eight hits. Five of those came during the second inning.

In nearly every category, he outdueled Bartow pitcher Kelyn Fox, who went six innings, allowing a pair of runs -- both earned -- on eight hits and striking out two.

"When you're in a slump that we're in right now, little stuff like that seems to avalanche," utility infielder Chris Lehman said. "I do feel like we've been hitting a little bit better, but just small stuff kind of seems to push everything back."

Lehman drove in the first run of the game for the Canes, lifting a sacrifice fly to center field in the bottom of the first inning to send shortstop Collin Moore home.

Manatee ran itself out of the inning, though, when corner infielder Dillon Sullivan tried to sneak over to third base on the throw from center and was nailed on the basepaths. Three innings later, the Hurricanes were trailing by three runs and had a runner thrown out at home with two outs.

Moore was the only Cane with multiple hits, going 2 for 4 with a double, and Lehman recorded the only RBI with his sac fly. Manatee scored its second and final run in the third when outfielder Garret Richelieu dashed home on a wild pitch.

The Hurricanes will try to salvage one win from its week in Sarasota on Thursday when it plays for 15th place.

"We just need to focus on getting back to the basics," Lehman said, "and just focus on everyone individually doing their jobs to help the team effort."

David Wilson, Herald sports writer, can be contacted at 941-745-7057 or on Twitter @DBWilson2.

This story was originally published March 23, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Prep baseball | Errant throw in second costs Manatee against Bartow in Sarasota Classic ."