A day after losing by nine runs, the Brazos Valley Bombers managed just five hits and fell to the Texas Collegiate League-leading McKinney Marshals 15-5 on Sunday in front of 864 fans at Brazos Valley Bank Ballpark.

Brazos Valley (14-15), batting just .223 as a team this season, didn't have a hit after the second inning until picking up a single in the eighth. The Bombers did score at least one run in the first three innings, thanks to eight walks.

Unfortunately for the Bombers, the Marshals also scored runs in their first three at-bats. McKinney's six-run third inning featured a home run, an error, a hit batsman and two run-scoring doubles. McKinney (18-11) also had a five-run fifth that put the game out of reach.

"Things just didn't go our way," Brazos Valley second baseman Nick Anders said. "You have to go out there and play your best no matter what. You have to back your team. We have to keep our head up and we have a lot of games left to play."

The Bombers' pitchers had trouble missing bats. Brazos Valley starter Trey Sperring struck out just one batter but walked four in his 2 2/3 innings of work. Sperring was able to stay out of big trouble through the first two innings by staying away from the plate, throwing only half of his 50 pitches for strikes.

He ran into big trouble in the third, however, when he began to find the zone with more consistency.

McKinney's Jake Smith hit a towering home run to left field to lead off the third. Sperring then got two quick outs before letting the next four batters reach on hits. That promped a pitching change, as the Bombers called on Jason Zylstra.

The Bombers' defense was solid a night after committing six errors, and Anders came up with a pair of defensive gems.

In the second inning, Anders made a nice play on a high chopper to second, jumping up to grab the grounder and throwing to first for the inning's second out. In the fourth, he combined with shortstop Jake Sharrock to turn a difficult double play. Catcher Kip Masuda also chipped in on defense, picking off Chuck Opachich in the sixth.

"It's just about where the ball is hit," Anders said. "We don't really practice [double plays]. You just have to go with the flow. You have to make an out, no matter what. If you turn two, then great."

Anders collected two of his team's five hits, going 2 for 3 with a walk, and was hit by a pitch. Grichor and Anders were the only two Bombers to get a hit.

The Bombers broke a cardinal baseball rule on the basepaths in the third. With one out and the bases loaded, Brazos Valley shortstop Zach Grichor hit a grounder up the middle. McKinney's J.B. Brown fielded the ball and paused a second to find second base to try for the double play. Grichor was almost to first when the throw reached the bag, but went into a trot before the out was made and was only out by a step.

The run that could have scored turned out to be meaningless, as McKinney put up five more runs in the next three innings.

The Bombers are off Monday before hosting the East Texas PumpJacks on Tuesday night.

NOTES -- The Brazos Valley Democratic Party had a get-together Sunday on the BV Bank Ballpark's party deck, complete with a Democratic Party flag. ... Brazos Valley manager Brent Alumbaugh held an on-field team meeting lasting about five minutes following the game.

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