Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes
Published on May 25, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (25-20) vs. POTOMAC NATIONALS (23-23)
May 25th, 2013 -- 6:05 PM
Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium
RHP Jarett Miller (3-2, 4.15) vs. RHP Blake Schwartz (3-1, 0.96)
THE HILLCATS: Beat the Potomac Nationals 7-3 last night...RHP Navery Moore (5-4) allowed just one run in six innings of work...He gave up five hits, while walking two and striking out two and earned the win...The 'Cats led throughout the game after C Shawn McGill and 3B Kyle Kubitza singled in runs in the first...RF Will Skinner ended up leading the club with two RBI on the day...The 'Cats are now 25-20, still in first place in the Northern Division...
VS. POTOMAC: The Hillcats are 5-2 against the Nationals this season winning both previous series so far 2-1, and the opener of this series ...Potomac boasts the third-best ERA in the league at 3.83 but against the Hillcats, the hold a 5.46 ERA...The 'Cats have six home runs off Potomac pitchers in seven games, four of which belong to OF Robby Hefflinger...Offense has clearly had the advantage in this series, as the two teams have combined to score 88 runs in seven games....The scoring is even at 44-44...
PLEASE SIR, CAN I HAVE SOME MOORE: RHP Navery Moore turned in his third straight quality start last night, allowing just one run in six innings...He also earned his third consecutive win, giving him five on the season, tying him for the league lead...He has posted an ERA of 3.00 (6er, 18ip) in his last three starts, lowering his season mark from 6.69 to 5.43...The offense has been there for him during the winning streak as well, scoring seven runs in each game after averaging just 2.71 runs per game of support through his first seven starts...Hasn't allowed a home run in the last three outings, but is still tied for the league lead with six...Beat former Vanderbilt teammate last night, RHP Taylor Hill...
WINNING WHEN IT'S NOT "CLOSE": The Hillcats beat the Nationals by four runs last night, bringing their record in games decided by more than three runs to 12-11...Surprisingly, they are now one of just two teams in the league with an above .500 record in such contests...Not surprisingly, the other team is the Myrtle Beach Pelicans who are 14-9, and also have the best overall record in the circuit at 29-16...The Nationals just fell back to .500 in these, not so close, games at 11-11...
SCORING FIRST: Lynchburg gave themselves the early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning last night and held on to win 7-3...They are now 14-3 when scoring first this season, second-best to the Winston-Salem Dash (17-3)...Unfortunately for the Hillcats, they have scored first in fewer games than any other team this season, in just 17 of their 45 games (38%)...Every other team has struck first in more than 20 games...The Hillcats currently own a first inning ERA over 5.00, not giving the offense much opportunity to strike first...But the first place 'Cats do not fret when down early...They own the most wins int he league when trailing after six innings with five...
SKINNER!: OF Will Skinner went 2-for-4 last night with a double and two RBI, notching his first hits since getting "pink eye" on May 12...He tried to play with the swollen right eye Sunday May 12 in Carolina and went 0-for-5, and then didn't play again until this past Thursday (0-for-3)...Prior to his eye swelling up, he was on a five game hitting streak, batting .368 (7-for-19) with a double, two home runs, six RBI, and six runs scored during the streak...Raised his average from .130 to .192...After hitting just .104, with two home runs and five RBI in 16 April games, he is batting .297 with three homers and 13 RBI through 11 May games...
REYES GLAD TO SEE YOU: SS Elmer Reyes went 7-for-13 opening weekend in Potomac, but then missed the entire second series against the Nationals due to a strained thumb...Healthy and ready to go this time around, Reyes continued his success going 1-for-4 with an RBI last night, and has now hit safely in each of the four games he's played against Potomac...Reyes' one hit last night snapped a three-game hitless streak...That was the only time Reyes had even gone back-to-back games without a hit this season, but the Nationals were able to break the slide for him...
MILLER LATELY: RHP Jarett Miller makes his seventh start of the season for the Hillcats tonight...After winning his first three starts, he is 0-2 oevr his last three with a 6.92 ERA...
TONIGHT'S OPPOSING PITCHER: RHP Blake Schwartz was selected in the 17th round of the 2012 draft by the Nationals out of Oklahoma City University...The Rosemount, Minnesota native played three seasons at Minnesota State-Mankato where he was a two-time Division II All-American, and a two-time NCAA Division II Central Region Pitcher of the Year, before transferring to OCU...Junior year was his best college season (10-2, 2.11 ERA, 79k, 12bb, 89.2ip)...Was then named an NAIA All-American after going 11-4 with a 3.74 ERA in his only season at OCU...After signing last year, he debuted for the GCL Nationals (5-5, 5.06)...Went up to Low-A Hagerstown and made seven starts going 1-1 with a 3.05 ERA striking out 41 in 38.1 innings...Returned to Hagerstown to start 2013...Made four appearances, only one start (2-0, 1.26)...Struck out 21 in 14.1 innings before getting the call up to Potomac...Tonight will be his sixth Carolina League start, and first against the Hillcats...He is 3-1 with a 0.96 ERA, not allowing more than one earned run in any start so far...
Carolina League Stories from May 25, 2013
- Pelicans swept in double-header with Blue Rocks - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Mudcats Outlast Dash in Wild Saturday Tilt - Carolina Mudcats
- Schwartz Magnificent in Nationals' 3-1 Triumph Over Hillcats - Potomac Nationals
- Winston-Salem Spoils Late Lead in Zebulon - Winston-Salem Dash
- Davies Outduels Augliera, Keys Win 3-2 - Frederick Keys
- Sox' Bats Quieted by Frederick in One-Run Loss - Salem RidgeYaks
- Hillcats Drop Low Scoring Contest - Hill City Howlers
- Pelicans Media Notes vs. Wilmington - DH 6:05 p.m. EST - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (May 25 at Carolina) - Winston-Salem Dash
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Hill City Howlers
- Salem Red Sox Game Notes - Salem RidgeYaks
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