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SAL Greenville Drive

Drive Walked-off in 1-0 Loss to Emperors

June 18, 2024 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release


The Greenville Drive (25-39) held the Rome Emperors (35-27) scoreless and to one hit through eight innings Tuesday night at AdventHealth Stadium as the pitching trio of Connelly Early, Jeremy Wu-Yelland, and Cooper Adams picked up nine strikeouts in the process. But deadlocked at zero in the bottom of the ninth, Adam Zebrowski sent the first pitch of the inning over the left centerfield wall to defeat the Drive, 1-0.

Early dominated from the outset on Tuesday, not allowing a baserunner until the third on a hit-by-pitch, and not relinquishing a lone hit until Jace Grady chopped a single through into left field after Drew Compton walked. Early avoided trouble by inducing a double play and picking up a strikeout to quell the momentum.

Early struck out six through five-scoreless innings of work, walking just two batters, and allowing the lone hit.

While Early dominated, the Drive struggled at the plate similarly to how they did the last time these two teams faced off back in late-May. Greenville collected six hits on the night, though they'd come sporadically. Emperors' pitcher Drue Hackenberg fanned seven Drive batters on the night, allowing four hits and one walk. Hackenberg threw an efficient 84 pitches through seven innings of work, 56 of those for strikes.

Ultimately the Drive went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding a total of nine baserunners. Cutter Coffey continued his success at the plate as of late however, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Without a homer Tuesday, his home run streak came to end at six-straight games; now the second-longest streak in South Atlantic League history. Luis Ravelo added a pair of singles on a 2-for-3 night as well. Jhostynxon Garcia and Miguel Ugueto added Greenville's other two hits.

Wu-Yelland followed up Early, tossing a perfect sixth inning, picking up two strikeouts before Adams took the hill for the final two frames. Adams was solid, tossing a hitless seventh and eighth. He would allow three base runners on a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch in the eighth, before conceding the walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth.

The Greenville Drive return to action on Wednesday, June 19th at 7:00 p.m. against Rome with two games remaining in the first half. While the Drive have been eliminated from contending for back-to-back SAL South First-Half Championships, the Drive can affect the race for first place with wins over the next two games. The Emperors hold a one-game lead over the Bowling Green Hot Rods with two games to play. Rome leads the series, 1-0.

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