Emperors Still in Search of Offense Following Game Four Loss

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SAL Rome Emperors

Emperors Still in Search of Offense Following Game Four Loss

May 24, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Rome Emperors News Release


Rome Emperors shortstop Lizandro Espinoza at bat
Rome Emperors shortstop Lizandro Espinoza at bat
(Rome Emperors)

SPARTANBURG, SC - Aside from Mac Guscette's seventh-inning double that brought home Bryson Horne from first base, the Emperors struggled to build momentum Friday night in their 4-1 loss to Hub City.

May 13th call-up Logan Samuels made his first-career High-A start after appearing out of the bullpen last Friday night in Greensboro. The Montevallo product labored to find out number one in the four of the five innings he started on the mound, issuing walks to the leadoff men in the first and third innings, giving up a lead off single in the fourth, and plunking one to open the fifth. Quincy Scott, one of Samuels' walks and the hit-batsman in the fifth, scored on both occasions.

Sam Strickland took over for Samuels in the fifth and was an out away from avoiding a run-scoring inning for the Spartanburgers, but Dylan Dreiling's two-out single, Arturo Disla's two-out single, and Anthony Gutierrez's two-out double, brought home a pair of Burger baserunners.

Trailing 3-0, Bryson Horne's leadoff walk in the seventh-inning developed into a rare scoring opportunity for the Emperors. Mac Guscette, on the second pitch of his at-bat against Adonis Villavicencio, striped a ball down the left field line that rolled into the corner, scoring Horne easily from first base and putting himself in scoring position as well. The double was also Guscette's first High-A hit in 2025.

Two groundouts and a flyout terminated Rome's chance to add on in the seventh. Credit Hub City Starter David Davalillo (6.0IP, 3H, 10SO), relievers Villavicencio, Eric Loomis, and Joey Danielson for their sterling work in holding the Emperors to a run on four hits.

Since Tuesday night's series-opening win, Rome is 11-for-102 at the plate (.108) with a .385 team OPS and has scored just four times over 27 innings. Garrett Baumann looks to build off of his four innings of shutout baseball that he logged in his April 30th start against the Spartanburgers. Saturday's first pitch is set for 4:35PM ET.

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Rome Emperors shortstop Lizandro Espinoza at bat
Rome Emperors shortstop Lizandro Espinoza at bat
   



South Atlantic League Stories from May 24, 2025


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