SAL1 Greenville Drive

Drive Even Series with 7-6 Win Over Crawdads

Published on May 30, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Greenville Drive News Release


Greenville, SC - Friday night at Fluor Field had a pregame rain delay, postgame fireworks and much more in between, including five-run innings for each team. When the dust was settled, the Greenville Drive (27-26) came away with a 7-6 victory over the Hickory Crawdads (26-27).

After an hour and 26 minute rain delay pushed back the start of the game, Drive starter Jamie Callahan and Crawdads starter Akeem Bostick (2-3), former travel ball teammates in the Pee Dee area, traded zeroes for three and a half innings. The Drive finally struck for a run in the bottom of the fourth, as Jantzen Witte singled, stole second, moved to third on a flyout and scored on a passed ball.

Hickory turned around and put up a five-spot against Callahan in the fifth. After a one-out walk, Travis Demeritte cracked a two-run homer to right center to put the Crawdads on top 2-1. Callahan then loaded the bases after giving up an infield single and two walks, and after wild pitching a run home, he was removed for Raynel Velette (4-0). Velette looked to be out of the inning, but Witte dropped Nomar Mazara's infield popup for an error, allowing two runs to score.

In the bottom half of the fifth, the Drive rebounded and stunned Hickory with a five-run frame of their own to take the lead for good. After a pair of singles to begin the inning, Jordan Weems smoked a two-run double to the right-center wall to cut the lead to 5-3.

Bostick almost escaped trouble after getting a strikeout and a popup, but after a walk to Tzu-Wei Lin, Witte atoned for his error in the top half by smacking a two-run triple to deep right-center to tie the game and knock out Bostick. Carlos Asuaje followed by grounding a go-ahead single through the right side against reliever Josh McElwee.

Velette has been outstanding in relief all season, and Friday was no exception. He hurled three and one-third shutout innings, allowing only two hits and two walks while striking out two.

Asuaje gave the Drive what turned out to be a crucial insurance run in the seventh by lifting a sacrifice fly to center.

The Crawdads scored a run in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Joe Jackson, but Mike Adams retired the next batter to close out the game for his third save.

Witte went 2-3 with two RBI to lead the Drive offense, while Kendrick Perkins joined him with a pair of hits. Jackson went 3-4 for Hickory, and Demeritte added two hits and two RBI.

The teams will meet again at Fluor Field on Saturday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05. RH Teddy Stankiewicz (4-2, 4.20) will start for the Drive, while the Crawdads will send RH Kelvin Vasquez (2-1, 4.63) to the hill.

Check out the Greenville Drive Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 30, 2014


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