Conner, Bishop Push Owls Over Asheboro
June 19, 2011 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Forest City Owls News Release
ASHEBORO, N.C. - The Forest City Owls defeated the Asheboro Copperheads, 8-4, at McCrary Park on Sunday night. The Owls improve to 12-7, while the Copperheads drop to 13-6. Forest City is 4-0 against Asheboro this season. Asheboro is hanging on to a one-game lead over the Owls in the West Division standings.
Forest City's D.J. Thomas performed magnificently in his first run of the season. The N.C. State right-hander worked seven innings, allowing one run on six hits, striking out seven hitters and walking just one. Thomas earned his first win of the summer.
Asheboro tapped Chuck Fontana for his fourth start of the season. Fontana tossed six innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, striking out five batters and walking two. Fontana absorbed his third defeat of the season.
Asheboro scored first in their half of the opening inning. With a runner on third and two outs, 3B Jacob Wilson dribbled a comebacker to the mound that bounced off Thomas's glove. Wilson reached first without a throw and CF Austin Kingsolver scored. The Copperheads led 1-0 through one frame.
Forest City answered in the top of the second inning. After RF Axel Johnson led off the inning with a walk, LF Cameron Conner blasted a two-run home run over the left-center wall. The homer was Conner's second of the season, having hit a home run last night against Asheboro as well. The Owls took a 2-1 lead into the third inning.
Owls CF Michael Bishop led off the third inning with a solo home run to left field, his second big fly of the season. Conner went yard again in the top of the fourth inning. This time, the N.C. State outfielder sent a solo shot screaming over the center field wall. Later in the inning, Bishop lined a single into right field, scoring 3B Jordan Betts and catcher P.J. Torres. Forest City enjoyed a 6-1 lead after four innings.
The Owls added a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning. With runners on second and third and one out, Torres lofted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Conner. An at-bat later, Bishop smacked a line drive single into right field, pushing 1B Eric Fisher across the plate. Forest City led 8-1 after eight innings.
The Copperheads picked up three runs in the bottom of the eighth. After they had loaded the bases with nobody out off Owls reliever Andrew Brown, 1B Trey Holmes watched as a wild pitch went through the legs of Torres, allowing 2B Sam Picchiotti to sprint home. Holmes would ground out to second, which permitted LF Hunter Ridge to cross the plate. Wilson would go on to score in the next at-bat on another wild pitch. Seth Cutler-Voltz would enter the game for Brown and eventually retire the side with the Owls ahead 8-4. Adam Izokovic finished off Asheboro in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Bishop finished a perfect 3-for-3, with a home run, a run scored, and four RBIs. Conner went 2-for-3 with two homers, three runs scored, and three RBIs. Wilson went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
These two teams will wrap up the three-game series tomorrow night in Forest City. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 PM from McNair Field.
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Coastal Plain League Stories from June 19, 2011
- Blowfish Lose Eighth Straight - Lexington County Blowfish
- Conner, Bishop Push Owls Over Asheboro - Forest City Owls
- HiToms get past Grizzles in extras - High Point-Thomasville HiToms
- Fayetteville Falls Out of First Place with 4-3 Loss to Florence - Fayetteville SwampDogs
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