Crawdads K Suns 5-2 on Opening Night
April 9, 2015 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
Luke Tendler of the Hickory Crawdads Slides Home
(Hickory Crawdads, Credit: Tracy Proffitt)
Hickory, NC- The Hickory Crawdads kicked off their 2015 South Atlantic League season in emphatic fashion Thursday night, as the 'Dads stuck out 15 batters while collecting 10 hits in a 5-2 win over the Hagerstown Suns at L.P. Frans Stadium.
In front of an Opening Night crowd of 3,223 fans, the Crawdads dominated the game in nearly every aspect, with the club outhitting the Suns 10-3, issuing 15 Ks to Hagerstown's 4, and finishing the night errorless while the Suns committed a pair of costly miscues. Seven different 'Dads batters collected at least one hit, while all three Hickory pitchers struck out at least two batters.
The pitching star of the night was 19-year-old starter Ariel Jurado, who fanned 8 and walked none while allowing two runs on three hits over five innings in his full-season baseball debut. At the plate, left fielder Luke Tendler ignited the offense with a 2-4 game including two doubles and two runs scored.
The Suns were the team to strike first, as Hagerstown first baseman Jose Marmolejos-Diaz lined an opposite field, solo home run to left in the 2nd inning for a 1-0 score. The Crawdads quickly countered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning, with Tendler doubling to center field and eventually scoring on an RBI groundout by Jose Trevino to tie the score at 1-1.
The 'Dads came back with two more tallies in the 3rd to take a 3-1 lead they would never relinquish. Center fielder Jose Cardona started the frame by reaching on a throwing error from Suns shortstop David Masters. Following a steal of second and a single by Michael De Leon, Ronald Guzman plated Cardona with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field. Travis Demeritte then came through with an RBI double down the left field line to score De Leon.
Hagerstown got back on the board thanks to another solo homer in the 4th, this time from center fielder Dale Carey to cut the score to 3-2. That would be the last of the Suns scoring however, as Hickory plated a run in the 6th thanks to a two-out double by Trevino and corresponding RBI single from Eduard Pinto to increase the lead to 4-2. The 'Dads scored their final run of the night in the 8th, when Tendler doubled to right, took third base on a wild pitch, and eventually scored on an error for the final 5-2 score.
Crawdads relievers Adam Parks and John Fasola shut down the Suns offense following Jurado, with Parks tossing three scoreless frames with 5 Ks while Fasola pitched a perfect 9th with a pair of strikeouts.
Jurado (1-0) earned the win for his impressive debut, while Hagerstown starter Austen Williams (0-1) took the loss after allowing three runs, one earned, on six hits and two strikeouts over his 4 IP. Fasola (1) earned the save for the 'Dads.
De Leon (2-4, R) and Pinto (2-4, RBI) joined Tendler with a multi-hit night at the plate, while Guzman finished 1-2 with an RBI and a walk.
The Crawdads (1-0) will take on the Suns (0-1) in game two of their four-game series Friday night at 7:00 pm.
Images from this story
 Ariel Jurado of the Hickory Crawdads (Tracy Proffitt) |
 Ariel Jurado of the Hickory Crawdads (Tracy Proffitt) |
 Luke Tendler of the Hickory Crawdads (Tracy Proffitt) |
 Luke Tendler of the Hickory Crawdads Slides Home (Tracy Proffitt) |
South Atlantic League Stories from April 9, 2015
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- WV Power Game Notes - April 9, 2015 vs. Savannah - Charleston Dirty Birds
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