Can-Am Ottawa Champions

Champions Sweep Sussex with 9-8 Win

Published on May 24, 2015 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Ottawa Champions News Release


Ottawa Champions in Action
Ottawa Champions in Action
(Ottawa Champions)

Ottawa, ON - The Ottawa Champions battled back from 6-0 and 8-6 deficits to take Sunday afternoon's game against Sussex 9-8, sweeping the Miners in their season-opening series with the victory.

Rookie Matt Tenaglia drilled the first home run in club history, launching a clutch two-run dinger into the bushes beyond the right field fence in the 7th inning to tie the ballgame.

The winning run came the following inning for Hal Lanier's ballclub, as Mike Schwartz raced all the way home from first base after Sussex centerfielder Reggie Abercrombie dropped a fly ball off the bat of Champs first baseman Jon Talley.

"Today, we really battled back," said Lanier, whose team trailed for six innings. "We had a real tough inning in the second when Drew (Granier) gave up five runs, but we just never quit, and that's the making of a good ballclub."

Things looked grim for Ottawa early, as starting pitcher Drew Granier was pounded for five runs in a second inning which saw the visitors from Sussex bat around. The two teams traded runs in the third inning, bringing the score to 6-1 for the Miners.

In the bottom of the fourth, Champs left fielder Mike Schwartz changed the game with one swing of the bat, hitting a bases-clearing double to tie the ballgame at six.

Sussex would pick up another two runs off of Ottawa reliever Joe Riley in the top half of the sixth, to take an 8-6 lead.

Cue the rookie out of James Madison University, Matt Tenaglia. Batting ninth as designated hitter, the power-hitter drilled an 0-1 pitch over the right field fence for the first home run in club history, tying the game at eight.

"Being my second game in professional baseball, it was pretty cool to help the team get back into the ballgame was the best thing," said the 24 year-old corner infielder. "We didn't panic at all, everybody was loose, we just said, 'Let's chip away.' Then we got some situational hitting, you know the rest!"

Nick Purdy entered the ballgame on the mound for Ottawa in the ninth, and shut down the Miners to pick up his first save of the season.

"We've got a difficult road trip ahead of us, but we know that the fans will be back with us for our next home stand, and we're playing good ball," summarized Champs manager Hal Lanier.

Ottawa hits the road for a four-game set with the Rockland Boulders, and will move on to Sussex later on in the road trip to face the Miners for four more. They return home on June second for a four game series against the Gary SouthShore RailCats of the American Association.

Check out the Ottawa Champions Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Images from this story

Ottawa Champions in Action
Ottawa Champions in Action
 Ottawa Champions in Action
Ottawa Champions in Action
 Ottawa Champions in Action
Ottawa Champions in Action



Canadian American League Stories from May 24, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central