Brown, Owls Blank Gastonia, 7-0
Published on June 23, 2011 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Forest City Owls News Release
FOREST CITY, N.C. - Thanks to a combination of late-inning fireworks and an immaculate performance from Andrew Brown, the Forest City Owls defeated the Gastonia Grizzlies, 7-0, Thursday night at McNair Field. The Owls recorded their fourth shutout of the season and improve to 15-8, while the Grizzlies drop to 12-11. Forest City now owns a 4-1 season series lead over Gastonia. The Owls stand alone at first place in the West Division.
Andrew Brown delivered a sterling performance on the mound for Forest City. The right-hander from Akron threw a complete game shutout, allowing just four hits and striking out ten hitters. The victory evened Brown's record at 1-1. Gastonia starter Rick Marks absorbed his second loss of the season.
The Owls struck first in the bottom of the third inning. With catcher Craig Manuel standing on second base and one out, CF Buddy Sosnoskie trickled a roller towards the mound. Sosnoskie legged out an infield single as Manuel hustled home. Grizzlies 1B Tyler White's throw skipped past catcher Dylan Nasiatka, allowing Manuel to score. The Owls would lead 1-0 through six innings.
In what has become a trend over the last few games, the Owls poured it on in the late innings. With runners on the corners and one out, 2B Michael Basil poked his first hit as an Owl into left field, bringing RF Axel Johnson strolling across the plate. Two at-bats later, DH Konstantine Diamaduros singled to left, allowing Manuel to score from third. SS Reed Harper followed that with a single of his own to center field, plating Sosnoskie. Forest City led 4-0 heading into the eighth inning.
The Owls would put the game out of reach in the bottom of the eighth inning. Facing Robby Van Cour, who entered the contest in relief of Marks, Manuel stepped up to the plate with runners on the corners and two outs. The Owls' catcher cracked a single down the left-field line, scoring 3B Danny Canela from third. Basil then hit a double to left field, allowing Johnson to score. In the very next at-bat, Sosnoskie rifled a single to left, bringing Manuel across the plate. The Owls emerged from the eighth inning with a 7-0 lead, which they would maintain.
Brown threw his first complete game of the season. He did not give up a hit after the fifth inning and retired the Grizzlies in order four times tonight. Manuel had his best night as a member of the Owls, going 4-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Basil notched his first CPL hits and RBIs this evening; he finished 2-for-2 with 2 runs driven in. Sosnoskie and Harper each finished with two hits and an RBI, with Sosnoskie scoring a run. RF Grant Gajdosz and 3B Roberto Durn were the only Grizzlies to muster a hit; they each had two hits.
The Owls and Grizzlies will square off once again tomorrow night in the second annual Midnight Madness at Sims Legion Park.
Coastal Plain League Stories from June 23, 2011
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