Hilligoss Ties SAL Mark As RiverDogs Filet Catfish, 9-1
May 30, 2007 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release
In his final at-bat, Charleston third baseman Mitch Hilligoss looped a two-run double to left field to tie the South Atlantic League record with a 35-game hitting streak as the RiverDogs cruised to a 9-1 victory over the Columbus Catfish in front of 2,814 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park Tuesday night.
Hilligoss was held hitless in his first four at-bats by Columbus pitchers Wade Townsend and Wilton Noel, and looked a long shot to get a fifth plate appearance as he was due up fifth in the bottom of the eighth inning. But the first three RiverDogs reached base in the eighth, setting the stage for the 21-year-old to hit with the bases loaded and one out.
The Windsor, Illinois native went the opposite way on a 1-1 pitch from Noel and landed the hit just inside the chalk in left. The 35-game streak ties the SAL all-time mark set by Greensboro's Scott Seabol, a former Yankee farmhand, set back in 1999.
With this victory, the RiverDogs beat Columbus for only the fourth time in 12 games this season and advanced their record to 27-25. Columbus slipped to a 34-18 record.
RiverDogs starting pitcher Ivan Nova (3-1) was brilliant in defeating Columbus for the second time in five nights. The right-hander pitched 6.2 innings and allowed only one unearned run while scattering five hits in winning his third consecutive start.
Nova got all the run support he would need in the first three innings. Seth Fortenberry drilled his team-leading eighth home run to right field on the first pitch he saw from Townsend (3-4) in the first inning to open the scoring.
Charleston then batted around and scored five times in the third. Walks to Chris Kunda and Fortenberry and a single by Austin Jackson loaded the bases with one out against Townsend, who then got Chris Malec to ground to Catfish first baseman Matt Fields. Fields booted the ball for an error and Kunda scored to make it 2-0.
The next two batters, Kevin Smith and Kyle Anson, each slugged two-run doubles to extend the lead to 6-0. Townsend was charged with six runs, five earned, in his five innings of work.
Columbus got on the board on Jairo de la Rosa's RBI double off of Nova in the seventh, but reliever John Axford shut down the Catfish the rest of the way, retiring the final seven batters he faced.
Hilligoss, who finished 1-5, will face right-hander Woods Fines (4-2, 3.04) in Wednesday's game two of the series as he attempts to establish a new SAL mark for longest hitting streak. He went 2-for-3 against Fines at Riley Park on April 28 with two singles.
Charleston will counter with right-hander Hector Noesi, who is slated to be activated Wednesday and make his RiverDogs debut. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm at Riley Park.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 30, 2007
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- Future Hall of Famer Ripken Coming to Augusta - Augusta GreenJackets
- Suns Swept Away - Hagerstown Suns
- Hilligoss Ties SAL Mark As RiverDogs Filet Catfish, 9-1 - Charleston RiverDogs
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