Despite a four-run sixth inning, the Pike Patriots couldn’t muster enough offense on Tuesday and lost to Monroe Academy 8-5.

“We didn’t battle in the batters box,” said Patriots head coach Allen Ponder. “We didn’t have competitive at bats, and we didn’t get in the batters box ready to hit.”

After shutting down the Volunteers 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning, starting pitcher Reed Jinright ran into trouble in the second. Jinright faced eight batters, walking three and giving up a double as Monroe took a 4-0 lead.

“We just didn’t throw strikes,” Ponder said. “In the first inning we had command of three pitches. In the second we came out and walked the lead-off, man which is something that we preach never to do.”

Jinright, Grice and Adam Grice all reached for the Patriots. Kiegan Simmons reached on an error, scoring Jinright. The Patriots left three runners stranded as the inning ended.

Loaded bases prompted a pitching change for the Patriots in the third inning, and the Volunteers scored two additional runs.

The Trojans attempted to get back into the game in the fourth inning when Wood and Reed Jinright both walked and Murphy Renfroe singled. For the second straight inning however, the Patriots failed to get the big hit they needed and left the bases loaded.

The Patriots stranded a total of 12 bases runners on Tuesday afternoon, which turned out to be the difference in the game.

“That’s been something that as hurt us all year long,” Ponder said. “We had the bases loaded with nobody out and couldn’t get anything out of it because we took three subpar at bats. We just did a terrible job all day long at putting the ball in play.”

The Patriots sent nine batters to the plate in the sixth and scored four runs to climb back in the game. Sawyer Mackenzie led off the inning with a walk. Hunter Jones reached on an error to score Mackenzie. Reed Jinright drove in Hayes Lee on a ground out. The Patriots closed out the inning on a triple off the bat of Adam Grice, scoring Jones. Grice scored on a wild pitch

The Patriots had one more chance to get the big hit after Mackenzie and Lee both walked in the seventh inning. The Volunteer pitcher settled down and retired the next two batters including Wood Jinright who grounded into a double play to end the game.

The Patriots will be in action again on March 18 when they take part in the Macon East Tournament.