Lovett pitches Badgers past Lions at home

By Mike Hackworth

(Updated: Friday, May 09, 2008, 5:53 PM)

Yosemite left-hander Justin Lovett scattered eight hits and struck out nine in leading the Badgers (11-16, 9-5 NSL) to a 4-2 victory over the Kerman Lions (12-13, 5-10 NSL) Tuesday in the Yosemite baseball complex.

Lovett (4-5, 4.48 ERA) won his third game in as many starts and was aided by a pair of timely double-plays by the Badgers' infield, including one in the top of the seventh inning after the lead runner singled with one out.

Jesse Lownsbury (.455, 21 RBIs) collected three hits in as many at bats, and Jackson Glines (.493, 28 Runs) led the Badgers, who had an 11-hit attack, scoring all four runs in the sixth inning.

"We are playing the way we had hoped we would have earlier in the season," head coach John McMillen said. "It's a young team, and they now know what it takes to win."

Lovett's nine strikeouts were a season best in only his second complete game of the season.

"After I got through the fourth inning I felt good," Lovett said. "I stayed with the fastball with the bottom of the order and it worked out well."

Kerman led off the game with a pair of back-to-back singles, but a failed bunt and a double play ended the threat.

The Lions scored single runs in the fourth and another in the sixth, but the Badgers kept a tight rein on the infield playing error free baseball.

The Badgers host Sierra on Friday on Seniors Day.