Crawdads, Grasshoppers split doubleheader
Published on June 15, 2009 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Hickory Crawdads and Greensboro Grasshoppers split the series-opening doubleheader on Monday evening, before 5,692 fans at NewBridge Bank Park. The Crawdads won the first game, 3-2, before the Grasshoppers took a comeback, walk-off 8-7 win in the second game of the evening.
Game 1:
Both teams sent all-stars to the mound to start game one -- LHP Yoon-Hee Nam for Hickory and RHP Johnny Dorn (6-5) for Greensboro. However, both teams also posted a first-inning runs, leaving the game even, 1-1, through one with the all-stars on the bump.
Greensboro moved ahead on the scoreboard with a solo home run from C Torre Langley in the second inning. Nam struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning with no further damage done and left the frame with five strikeouts already registered after striking out the side in the first inning.
Nam logged two more strikeouts in a scoreless bottom of the third, before the Crawdads bats tied the game, 2-2, in the top of the fourth. 1B Erik Morrison, who picked up the RBI on a ground ball in the first, led off the fourth with a double down the left field line. He then stole third base and scored on a 3B Matt West sacrifice fly.
Morrison sparked another rally for Hickory with a leadoff infield single to start the sixth. After stealing second base and a LF Cristian Santana walk, Morrison scored later in the inning on a 2B Jake Kaase two-out RBI single to center field, putting the Crawdads in the 3-2 lead.
RHP Trevor Hurley (1-0), who took over on the mound to start the fifth inning, dealt three perfect innings with three strikeouts to close the game and pick up the win. Dorn pitched all seven innings for the Grasshoppers and was tagged with the loss.
Game 2:
The Grasshoppers (32-31) got out to a quick 1-0 lead against RHP Wilmer Font with a run in the bottom of the first. CF Kevin Mattison drew a leadoff walk, advanced all the way to third on a LF Jeremy Synan single and scored on a wild pitch.
The Crawdads (31-32) came roaring back in the top of the third inning with five runs against RHP Bryan Evans. The rally started with a double by 1B Jared Bolden, who was then joined on base when CF David Paisano, just activated from the DL before the game, was hit by a pitch. SS Jake Kaase then put down a sacrifice bunt, which Evans fielded and threw past the first baseman down the right field line. Bolden scored on the error, and Paisano moved to third while Kaase raced to second on the play. RF Mike Bianucci and 2B Erik Morrison then hit back-to-back RBI singles to score Paisano and Kaase. Both then scored when 3B Matt West laid down a bunt to third base, which 3B Brandon Turner barehanded and also tossed past first base down the right field line for an error, enabling Bianucci and Morrison to come in and West to get all the way to third, making it 5-1. Greensboro RHP Jared Yecker took over after the play and was able to get out of the inning with no further damage done.
Greensboro came back with four runs against Font and RHP Tyler Tufts to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, 5-5. Tufts navigated through the sixth inning in 1-2-3 fashion, keeping the tie intact heading to the top of the seventh.
Bolden led off the seventh inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Paisano. Bolden then came in from second base on a single by Kaase, lifting Hickory back into the lead, 6-5. One out later, Morrison placed a double perfectly inside the right field line, bringing in Kaase from second base and giving the Crawdads a two-run lead heading to the bottom of the seventh inning.
RHP Mark Hamburger (1-6) entered the game to try to slam the door on the Grasshoppers in the final frame. However, CF Kevin Mattison tied the game with a two-run homer before LF Jeremy Synan provided the walk-off solo shot over the right field wall to power the Grasshoppers to the 8-7 comeback win. Hamburger was tagged with the loss, while LHP Daniel Jennings (1-0) registers the win for Greensboro.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 15, 2009
- Drive complete sweep of Hot Rods - Greenville Drive
- Legends Sweep Back - Asheville Tourists
- 'Hoppers fall in game one, walk off with split - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Crawdads, Grasshoppers split doubleheader - Hickory Crawdads
- Greenville Scorches Hot Rods, 13-0 - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Savannah takes series in 2-0 win - Augusta GreenJackets
- RiverDogs Scorch GreenJackets, 11-4 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Intimidators shut down Power - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Legends sweep Tourists with 10-6 win - Lexington Legends
- Early runs enough for Kannapolis in 5-0 shutout - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Captains quiet Suns' bats - Hagerstown Suns
- Delgado dominates in Braves victory - Rome Emperors
- Shorebirds top BlueClaws, 5-1 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Patrick McCoy Named SAL Pitcher of the Week - Hagerstown Suns
- Pre-Game Team Autograph Session Postponed - Hagerstown Suns
- BlueClaws & American Red Cross to Host Blood Drive July 11th - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
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