CarL1 Potomac Nationals

Hillcats Take Opener in One-Side Affair, 7-3

Published on May 24, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


Lynchburg, VA- The Lynchburg Hillcats (25-20, 13-10) took the series opener of a weekend three-game set amidst cool temperatures and heavy winds over the Potomac Nationals (23-23, 9-13) on Friday evening at Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium by the final score of 7-3. The Hillcats used eleven hits and a four run inning in the 5th to secure the one-sided affair while six different Lynchburg swingers garnered RBIs in the game.

P-Nats RHP Taylor Hill (4-2), the losing pitcher, who entered the contest with the lowest earned run average in the Carolina League among all active hurlers, was roughed up in his ninth start of the campaign.

Hill surrendered a season-high seven earned runs and ten base hits amidst his second shortest outing of his 2013 season.

Conversely, Lynchburg RHP Navery Moore (5-4), the winning pitcher, after allowing seven earned runs on nine hits in 1.2 innings on Opening Night 2013 at Pfitzner Stadium, earned redemption over the P-Nats by tossing a quality start over 6.0 innings. Moore gave up just one earned run on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

The Hillcats leaped out with two runs in the 1st stanza when CF Matt Lipka lead off with a double lashed into the left field corner before C Shawn McGill rattled an RBI single through the left side of the infield and 3B Kyle Kubitza bounced an infield run-scoring one-base knock behind the second base bag.

Lynchburg tacked on one run in the 4th via an RBI double off the stick of RF Will Skinner, who finished the game with a 2-for-4 line at the plate and two runs batted in.

The home club brought all nine batters in their lineup to the plate in the 5th inning and used five base hits to turn in a four-run frame. 2B Ross Heffley ripped an RBI single into left center field, DH David Rohm put an inside-out swing on an inside fastball and looped a run-scoring double up the right field chalk, Skinner laced a single to left center that summoned home the third run. Finally, off RHP Greg Holt, who was terrific in relief of Hill's rough outing, allowed an RBI single to SS Elmer Reyes sent to straight away left field.

After the Reyes shot, Holt retired the next 10 batters in succession.

Potomac plated one run to get on the scoreboard in the 6th as SS Jason Martinson tattooed an RBI double to the right field corner scoring CF Michael Taylor, who nailed a one-out single to left field to get aboard. Taylor was on base four times in the contest going 2-for-3 with one run, one RBI, and two walks.

An inning later off LHP Ronan Pacheco, the Nationals tagged the southpaw for a pair of runs as 3B Francisco Soriano belted a run-scoring triple over the head of Lipka in center field and Taylor chopped an infield RBI single up the third base line to put the Lynchburg lead at 7-3.

In the 9th inning, RHP John Cornely, despite walking RF Randolph Oduber and Taylor, got 2B Cutter Dykstra to strike out looking and Martinson waving to end the contest.

The Nationals are now (2-5) against the Lynchburg Hillcats this season and have logged a (1-5) record on their current road trip, the longest bus trip journey of the 2013 campaign.

Saturday night's series Game Two featuring a 6:05pm first pitch will pit Potomac RHP Blake Schwartz (3-1, 0.96) against Lynchburg RHP Jarrett Miller (3-2, 4.15).

The Potomac Nationals Baseball Network will begin streaming with the P-Nats Baseball Lead-Off Show at 5:50pm before the live play-by-play at 6:05pm. Broadcast coverage is accessible by heading to www.potomacnationals.com.

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Carolina League Stories from May 24, 2013


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