CarL1 Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes

Published on April 7, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


April 7th, 2013 -- 1:05 PM

@ Pfitzner Stadium

RHP Mark Pope (0-0, -) vs. RHP A.J. Cole (0-0, -)

THE HILLCATS: Last night, the 'Cats scored eight runs in the top of the seventh inning to erase a 5-0 deficit and eventually secure a 10-6 comeback victory over the Potomac Nationals...Lynchburg batted 13 in their eight-run rally...David Rohm and Kyle Kubitza each had two hits in the frame...Rohm finished the night with four hits, including a double, and Elmer Reyes matched him every step of the way, going 4-for-5 five as well with a lone two-bagger...The winning pitcher for the Hillcats was reliever Wilson Rivera, who tossed an inning and one-third...He walked one and struck out two without allowing a run...The 'Cats are now 1-1 to start the season, tied for sec- ond place in the Northern Division behind the 2-0 Frederick Keys...

VS. POTOMAC: The Hillcats went 10-10 against the Nationals in 2012 and 3-7 at Pfitzner Stadium...The Hillcats won the first series at the Pfitz 2-1, but were swept 3-0 in their next trip and went 1-3 in the final four-game slate...This will be the third straight year Lynchburg meet Potomac for the season opening series...The opening 2011 series (in Potomac) was split 1-1 after opening night was rained out and not made up until the following trip...Last year (in Lynchburg), the Hillcats swept Potomac in three...Lynchburg holds the all-time advantage 182-167...

RETURNERS: This year, the Hillcats Opening Day active roster holds nine returners...There are also five players on the disabled list that all saw time in Lynchburg last season...Six of the nine active returning players were on the Hillcats roster during the championship playoff run last September, RHP Caleb Brewer, LHP Matt Chaffee, RHP Ryan Weber, UTL Matt Weaver, OF Matt Lipka, and OF David Rohm...Although, Lipka was on the DL...

COOL UNDER PRESSURE: Down 5-0 last night, following a 12-1 loss the night before the Hillcats looked as though they were head- ed for another fairly one-side defeat...Then, 13 batters went to the plate in the seventh inning setting the season-high for most batters in an inning, and eight runs scored, also a season high...OF Robby Hefflinger led off the inning with a home run, and a parade of singles and walks followed...

THANKS FOR THE RELIEF: The eight-run seventh came immediately following the relief of Potomac starter Taylor Jordan...Jordan tossed six scoreless innings, allowed just three hits and struck out four...The first two arms out of the bullpen failed to retire a single bat- ter...Christian Meza gave up the blast to Hefflinger, then a pair of singles and a double...After the double, Colin Bates entered...Surrendered a single, the committed an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt which loaded the bases...Walked the next batter and was sent to the dugout as well...Finally, Matt Grace was brought in...He wasn't lights out by any means, but he was able to retire a few Hillcats...He allowed three inherited runners to score and one more before ending the marathon rally...

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM?: OF Robby Hefflinger starts the season with the Hillcats for the third straight spring...So far he's off to a good start, 2-for-7 with a home run and two runs scored...In each of the last two years, he has been sent down to Rome after slow starts in Lynchburg...Played 12 games with the 'Cats in 2011, hitting just .114 (5-for-44) with 19 strikeouts, reassigned to Rome...In 2012, shot out of the gate with an eight-game hitting streak, batting .429 (12-for-28) with two home runs in the first two game of the season...Over his next 29 games, he hit .168 (16-for-95) with 36 strikeouts, and again went back to Rome...This year, Hefflinger comes to Lynchburg as the 29th-rated prospect in the organization, and Baseball America also says he has the best outfield arm in the system...

HOW WILL THEY START?: Lynchburg's position players this year include four players on the April roster a year ago, and six April members of the 2012 Low-A Rome club...Lynchburg went 13-9 in the first month of the season last year batting .294 with 26 HR, while Rome went 7-18 while batting .222 with just 8 HR...Lynchburg went on to win the first half and later the Carolina League champi- onship...Rome would finish the first half 18-52, 29 games out of first, but rebounded in the second half with a 44-24 record...They won the second half, but lost in the first round of the playoffs...

GOLDEN BACKSTOP: C Cory Brownsten started the 2011 season with the Hillcats but finished the year with Rome...Served as the back-up catcher with Lynchburg, played in six games and hit .190...He then spent all of last season with Rome, and while he struggled at the plate(.206 AVG), he excelled behind it...Posted a .981 fielding percentage in 77 games, and only allowed 3 passed balls...Also lead the South Atlantic League in caught stealing percentage (40.2%), catching 47 of 117 potential base stealers...He was honored as the 'Sally' League Defensive Catcher, and the Braves named him Rome's Defensive Player of the Year......

HE...GAT IT!: C Evan Gattis, 2012 Hillcat, took the Carolina League by storm last April when he hit ..385 with 9 HR, 29 RBI, 7 dou- bles, and 14 runs scored...He was then called up to Double-A Mississippi which is where he played whenever healthy the rest of the sea- son...Gattis, who spent four years away from baseball, is one of the best comeback stories in the game...He added another chapter Wednesday night with his first big league hit, a home run off of Roy Halladay in his MLB debut...He followed that with a 3-for-4 effort Friday night against the Cubs (4-for-8 through first two games)...Gattis made the Opening Day roster for the Braves in response to C Brian McCann beginning the year on the disabled list, but if his bat continues at the pace it has shown throughout his minor league career, the Braves may find a spot for him even after McCann's return...

TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: RHP A.J. Cole was selected in the fourth round in the 2010 draft out of Oviedo (FL) High School, and signed to a reported $2 million contract...He was committed to the Univeristy of Miami but opted to go pro...Solid first full season in the minors, posting a 4.04 ERA in 20 appearances, 18 starts...Showed his worth by striking out 108 batters in just 89 innings, while walking only 24...He was then traded to Oakland in the deal that brought LHP Gio Gonzalez to Washington...After one season play- ing A-ball in the Athletics organization, he travels back to the Nationals as a piece in the three-team trade that sent Michael Morse to Seattle...Cole is looking to rebound from a poor showing in the hitter-friendly California League last year...He went 0-7 with a 7.82 ERA in eight starts...Struck out 31 in 38 innings, and walked 10...

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