Marauders offense, defense struggle in home opening defeat

BRADENTON -- It didn't possess the pulse-grabbing conclusion like the 2015 home opener, but the result was still the same one year later.

Bradenton fell in its McKechnie Field opener, dropping a 5-1 decision to Fort Myers in a Florida State League game.

Bradenton (1-2) struggled to pounce on Fort Myers starting pitcher Tyler Jay with runners in scoring position and mental lapses provided an uphill battle that the Marauders couldn't overcome Saturday.

"It was mental going to the wrong place a few times for us, and we make those plays in practice all the time," Bradenton shortstop Kevin Newman said. "But the game kind of sped up on us, and we gotta just stay within ourselves. And take the out when it's given."

When the gates opened an hour before the first pitch, the first wave of the 5,923 -- a record for a Marauders' home opener -- fans flooded the concourses at McKechnie to the various opening-night amenities: horse carriage rides, photo opportunities with Disney-themed princesses and the anticipation of a successful 2016 season.

That large crowd, though, caused the opposite effect on the Marauders.

"We tried to impress a big crowd, and sort of got out of our game a little bit," Marauders manager Michael Ryan said. "They will learn to adjust the more crowds we play in front of."

Fort Myers (2-1) struck first, scoring two runs in the top of the third inning with the second one coming on a potential inning-ending force out at second base.

Instead of escaping with just one run crossing the plate, the Marauders trailed 2-0 after shortstop Kevin Newman committed a throwing error on Miracle second baseman Ryan Walker's grounder.

But it wasn't a momentum killer. Bradenton loaded the bases to begin the bottom of the third inning.

However, that's when Jay buckled down. The left-hand

er struck out Newman and induced Kevin Kramer into a fly out to shallow center that saw Miracle center fielder Tanner English gun home to catcher Brian Navaretto, who fired back to shortstop Nick Gordon to pick off Logan Hill at second base after Hill darted too far following his tag on the play.

"It just shut the momentum down," Ryan said. "We had a chance to get back into the game. Bases loaded, nobody out. We couldn't push any across. Still guys tried to do a little too much. Just not a very good base running play. Things that we'll learn from, but the game could of been over right there."

In addition to the base running blunder in the third inning, the Marauders committed three errors in the field: one to Newman, one to Kramer and one to third baseman Connor Joe.

Three runs resulted off two of the errors.

"We've got to anticipate a little bit more," Ryan said. "Know where we've got to go with the baseball, before it's even hit to us."

Jay picked up the victory after striking out seven against three walks and allowing just three hits over five innings.

Bradenton right hander Colten Brewer kept the Marauders in the game with five strong innings, where he allowed two runs - one earned - and struck out six against two walks.

Despite generating just three hits -- the lone ones of the game -- off Jay, the last two base hits produced Bradenton's only run.

Newman mashed a double to the left-center field gap and Kramer drove him in with a single in the fifth inning. Newman also smashed a shot to the right-center field gap later in the game that didn't drop in for a hit.

"Gap-to-gap, I don't try to go over the fence," Newman said. "If that happens, it's by accident. I try to go low line drives everywhere."

That last at-bat for Newman, which came in the seventh, couple with Taylor Gushue's leadoff line out in the ninth was indicative of the Marauders mindset this season.

"I think we pride ourselves on playing a hard nine," said Southeast High and Florida Gulf Coast University alum Michael Suchy, who had about 20-30 friends, family and high school teachers in attendance. " (Gushue) came up and smacked that ball pretty good to lead off that ninth, and I think a lot of guys were just having really good at-bats the entire game."

Jason Dill, sports reporter, can be reached at 745-7017. Follow him on Twitter @Jason__Dill and like his Facebook page at Jason Dill Bradenton Herald..

This story was originally published April 10, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Marauders offense, defense struggle in home opening defeat ."