GENEVA – Starting pitcher Craig Italiano pitched 5 scoreless innings, but the Kane County Cougars offense was quiet in the Cougars 4-0 loss to the Quad Cities River Bandits on Saturday night in front of 8,068 at Elfstrom Stadium.

Brad Hertzler (0-1) relieved Italiano and surrendered four runs in his four innings of work, including a controversial run in the sixth. River Bandits right fielder D’Marcus Ingram skied a fly ball that appeared to be caught on a sliding play by right fielder Shane Keough. After a conference the umpires ruled the play a hit, and with Ingram standing on second, Cougars manager Aaron Nieckula argued the call and was ejected. Ingram scored three batters later on a single by catcher Paul Vazquez.

The Cougars struggled to sustain an offensive attack against starter Nick Additon, and they didn’t fare any better against Mark Diapoules (3-0), who pitched the final five innings of the game. The Cougars scattered seven hits, with their only rally coming in the sixth when Greg Dowling and Corey Brown led off the inning with singles. Jake Smith bunted the runners over, but Diapoules got the next two batters on ground outs and the Cougars were unable to score.

The River Bandits were led by Vazquez’s three hits, including a triple, and three RBIs.

Keough and Brown each had two hits for the Cougars, as did hot hitting Larry Cobb. Italiano continued his marvelous 2008 at home, extending his streak without allowing an earned run at Elfstrom Stadium to 31 innings. He lowered his overall ERA to 0.72.

The Cougars (29-19) and River Bandits (25-22) will continue their five-game series Sunday night at 6 CT. Jamie Richmond (4-3, 3.42) will face Blake King (1-3, 4.54).
 

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