Aces Beat Cats in 10th, 4-3
June 13, 2013 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Alexandria Aces News Release
ALEXANDRIA - Newcomer Chad Bunting's two out bad hop single over the glove of third baseman Greg Bachman brought home Austin Newell with the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Alexandria Aces a 4-3 come from behind victory against the Fort Worth Cats.
The Aces trailed 3-0 after 6 ½ innings before rallying for two runs in the bottom of the seventh off Cats righthander Cole Stephens. Austin Newell led off the frame with his third home run of the season before Craig Littleman's two out flare to center drove in Ryan Gasporra with the Aces' second run.
In the ninth, Michael Haynes hit a leadoff home run off Cats closer Boomer Potts over the left field fence to forge a 3-3 tie. Two out heroics followed in the following inning, with Potts (0-2) walking Newell, allowing a line drive single to right to Gasporra, and finally Bunting's hit.
The home run was Haynes' first of the season, while Bunting's hit was his second since joining the Aces (10-9) this week.
"I'm estatic but not surprised," said Aces manager Von Hayes, whose team pulled to within a game of first place with the victory. "I throw [Haynes] batting practice and he can handle my inside fastball. I could almost see it coming."
"He came in and it carried out," said Haynes, who had just fouled off a 3-2 pitch that fell into the first row of the first base boxes at Bringhurst on the pitch prior to his blast.
Bunting, who played collegiately at the University of California, has also impressed Hayes in the two games he's played.
"He'll give us good at bats. He'll hit home runs," Hayes said of Bunting. "He's more of a gap to gap guy who adds to our lineup."
The clutch hits overshadowed some rather impressive pitching performances from both teams. While Stephens held the Aces at bay for six innings, allowing only two hits and no runs, his starting counterpart was also impressive.
Alexandria Senior High product Trey Moyeux first tried out for the Aces in 2009, when the franchise was in the Continental League. He did so again this year, and impressed Hayes enough to pitch in intrasquad games in spring training.
After keeping himself in shape by pitching in local leagues, and with the Aces in need of a spot start after a doubleheader at Rio Grande Valley, Moyeux was signed for the game and given a start.
Though he had not pitched collegiately since 2008, and even then was primarily a relief pitcher at Louisiana College, the righthander allowed only one run in four innings in front of nearly two dozen friends and family.
"I loved it! I wish he could've gotten the win," said Hayes of Moyeux's performance. "Ninety-six pitches is a bit more for his first time in. He pitched his heart out." "It was fun to finally get out and pitch," Moyeux said. "I felt I did okay, but I would have rather gone deeper in the game."
But he could not have been more effective than the pitchers that followed. Though Ryan Waters was touched for two unearned runs after allowing a 2-run home run to David Bergin to give the Cats (11-8) a 3-0 lead in the sixth; Jadd Schmetzer, Nathan Stewart and Gabe Grammer (1-2) followed to retire 11 straight Fort Worth hitters and allow the Aces to come back.
The victory puts the Aces only a game behind first place Fort Worth as the season reaches the ¼ mark following tomorrow's 7:05 p.m. series finale.
"It shows we can play with anyone in the league," said Haynes.
Jon Jones (3-0), who leads the United League in victories, pitches for Alexandria against Steve Nikonchik (1-1).
NOTES - While Moyeau's status with the Aces has much to do with Ryan Zimmerman's injury status (torn fingernail), Hayes didn't rule out Moyeau staying with the club, at least in the short term.
"Right now we'll keep him posted. If Zimmerman can't go he'll come out for another start. If he's healthy, we'll just kind of monitor how it plays out," Hayes said.
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United League Baseball Stories from June 13, 2013
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- Roadrunners Slug Past Wings - Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings
- Aces Beat Cats in 10th, 4-3 - Alexandria Aces
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