TL1 Springfield Cardinals

Hooks Take Opening Night Contest from Cardinals

Published on April 10, 2015 under Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release


Springfield, MO - The Springfield Cardinals opened the 2015 season with 5,101 fans at Hammons Field on Thursday night. Despite an early Cardinals advantage, the Corpus Christi Hooks prevailed, 9-4, beginning the six-game Opening Homestand at Hammons Field.

Former Missouri State Bears standout RHP Nick Petree got the ball as the Cardinals Opening Night Starter for his Hammons Field Cardinals debut. After a quick first inning for Petree, the Cardinals (0-1) bats struck right away in the bottom of the first against LHP Kent Emanuel. With one away, SS Aledmys Diaz hammered his first hit of 2015, a double to left field. After a groundout, DH David Washington and 1B Jonathan Rodriguez, a 2014 Texas League Midseason All-Star, worked consecutive walks to force the bases full. RF Breyvic Valera then punched a two-out, two-run single just out of the range of 2B Tony Kemp, plating Diaz and Washington for the 2-0 lead.

The Hooks (1-0) had a response in the top of the fourth, striking with a trio of two-out tallies against Petree. With two on and two away, RF Brandon Meredith skied a three-run home run to left field, lifting the Hooks into the 3-2 lead.

RHP Joey Donofrio (L, 0-1), a Texas League Midseason All-Star from 2014, navigated the Cardinals out of the rest of the top of the fourth with no further damage, before Springfield evened it in the bottom of the fourth. Valera and LF Anthony Garcia sparked the charge with a pair of singles to start the stanza. 3B Patrick Wisdom followed with a rocket of an RBI double to left-center, plating Valera to tie it, 3-3.

However, the Hooks moved back in front in the top of the fifth inning. Donofrio retired the first two outs in order, but Heineman worked a walk to extend the inning. A high pop up by 1B Conrad Gregor was blown around by the blustering wind and settled into shallow right-center for an RBI single, scoring Heineman from first base to bump the Hooks ahead, 4-3.

Corpus Christi widened the gap with three runs against LHP Ryan Sherriff in the top of the sixth. A pair of walks around a strikeout put two on with one down for SS Carlos Correa. Correa struck with a two-run double to straightaway center field, followed one out later by an RBI double from DH Telvin Nash to make it 7-3.

A two-run single by Kemp in the top of the eighth increased the Hooks advantage to 9-3, before the Cardinals tallied in the bottom of the ninth. Facing RHP Angel Baez (S, 1), LF Anthony Garcia led off the final frame with a free pass. Garcia took second on a groundout to the mound, but had to stay put on the ensuing fly out to left field. With one on and two down, CF Charlie Tilson placed an RBI double perfectly inside the left field line, bringing in Garcia for Cardinals fourth run of the game. However, Baez rebounded with a game-ending strikeout, closing the Corpus Christi win, 9-4. Hooks LHP Mitchell Lambson (W, 1-0) provided 2.1 scoreless relief innings to earn the win.

Check out the Springfield Cardinals Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Texas League Stories from April 10, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central