The 9^th ranked American River College Beavers got stuck in the top of the 6^th inning, allowing 6 runs to the 15^th ranked Mission College Saints in dropping Thursday's game 8-5.  Mission jumped on RHP Micah Gunter (Valley Christian) in the first inning with a pair of doubles to take a 1-0 lead.  The Beavers came right back in the bottom half, as sophomore DH Alex Dodd (River City) doubled in a pair of runs.  Mission tied the game in the top of the 4^th, but again A.R.C. came right back in the bottom half to take a 3-2 lead on an RBI groundout by freshman RF Blake Spencer (Rio Americano).  American River extended the lead to 5-2 in the 5^th inning as freshman SS Will Floyd (Rocklin) doubled in a run and Dodd later hit a sac fly to drive in his 3^rd run of the game. 

Mission jumped on Gunter quickly in the 6^th, singling back-to-back on first pitches.  After a pop-out, freshman RHP Greysen Pulsipher (Cosumnes Oaks) came on in relief and was not very effective.  He faced two batters, allowing a walk and a single to bring the score to 5-3 with the bases loaded.  Sophomore Andrew Fuentes (Pioneer) came on in relief and also was unable to get an out, allowing 2 hits and a walk.  Sophomore RHP Craig Broadman (Arcata) then came on and allowed an infield single to put the Saints up 7-5.  He then got a chopper to short but A.R.C. couldn't turn the double play, allowing another run to score. 

A.R.C. did have their chances to get back into it though.  The Beavers loaded the bases in the 7^th and 9^th innings, and had runners at 2^nd and 3^rd with 1 out in the 8^th but could not score.  The Beavers walked 11 times in the game, but managed just 4 hits, two days after pounding out 23 hits at Laney College on Tuesday.

American River will travel to Santa Clara on Saturday to play Mission College at Mike Perez Field on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.