Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes
Published on September 5, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (33-37, 69-70) vs. POTOMAC NATIONALS (42-28, 84-55)
September 5th, 2013 -- 7:05 PM
Pfitzner Stadium
LHP Ryan Hinson (4-4, 2.48) vs. RHP Blake Schwartz (11-4, 2.65)
THE HILLCATS: Lost the opening game of the Northern Division Championship series last night 2-1 in 14 innings to the Potomac Nationals...The Hillcats scored first in the top of the third inning...2B Emerson Landoni singled home C Cory Brownsten...RHP Greg Ross was perfect through three innings, and eventually completed six scoreless frames for the 'Cats, while striking out 10...He would take a no-decision though as the Nationals tied the game in the bottom of the ninth...With a runner at first and two outs, OF Randolph Oduber doubled to the gap in right field off of RHP John Cornely...The game went to extras tied 1-1...Neither team scored until the 14th inning...OF Michael Taylor singled to left field with two outs and runners at second and third...DH Mike Gilmartin came in to score the game-winning run...The Hillcats now trail 0-1 in the best of three Northern Division Championship Series......
LONG NIGHT: Last night's marathon game trumped any regular season game for innings and time for the Hillcats this year...During the regular season, the 'Cats never played more than 12 innings...They also never played more than four hours...Last night's contest lasted 14 innings, and needed four hours and 30 minutes to decide a winner...
SOMETHING HAD TO GIVE: The Hillcats and Nationals combined to go 2-for-24 with runners in scoring position...The Hillcats were 1-for-10...2B Emerson Landoni's RBI-single in the third inning was their one hit...The Nationals went 1-for-14...They had been 0-for-13 until OF Michael Taylor singled home the walk-off winning run in the 14th...
GET IN THE GAME: Game one of the Northern Division Championship Series saw 36 players used in the 14-inning marathon...The Hillcats used seven pitchers and 12 position players...They had not used more than six pitchers in a game, the entire regular season...The Nationals used six pitchers and 11 position players...
DEFENDING CHAMPS: As the 2012 Carolina League Champions, the Hillcats now have the opportunity to become the first team to win back-to-back CL Championships since the Wilmington Blue Rocks split the title with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in 1999 and then won it outright in 2000...Hurricane Floyd cancelled the final game of the Championship Series in 1999 and both teams were crowned...The last team to solely win back-to-back titles was Winston-Salem (The Spirits) in 1985 and '86...Lynchburg last did it as the Mets in 1983 and '84...
VS. POTOMAC: The Hillcats went 7-13 against the Nationals this season, and 3-7 at Pfitzner Stadium...Lynchburg won the opening series of the season at the Pfitz', but lost six of their last seven meetings when visiting the Nationals...Overall, Lynchburg went 2-11 in their last 13 regular season matchups...The Hillcats have been outscored 115-87 in the season series...The Nationals own a 3.54 ERA and a .269 batting average versus Lynchburg, compared the Hillcats' 5.18 ERA and .250 average...Fortunately for the Hillcats, OF Billy Burns, who batted .333 against the 'Cats, was promoted to Double-A a month ago...
IT'S BEEN A WHILE: The last time the Potomac and Lynchburg franchises met in the playoffs was 1991...Potomac was then known as the Prince William Cannons, changed to the Potomac Cannons in 1999, and ten to the Potomac Nationals in 2005...The Lynchburg Red Sox in 1991 swept Prince William 2-0...Prince William also beat Lynchburg 2-1 in 1989...Those are the only two times these two franchises have met in the postseason in the past 30 years...
LEAGUE LEADER: OF David Rohm finished the regular season fourth in the league in batting at .302...He was in contention for the batting title entering the final week of the season, but finished the year just 3-for-19 over his final six games (including one pinch-hit opportunity)...He also ranked second in hits (15), second in triples (8), fifth in runs scored (77) and tied for fifth in doubles (33)...Rohm was named the Hillcats Co-MVP with SS Elmer Reyes by the Lynchburg front office...
"HEALTHY HILLCATS": OF Josh Elander (thumb) missed the game August 30 and is 0-for-12 since...1B Trent Moses (groin) missed August 29 and 30, is 2-for-12 since returning...
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...He went 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA against the Hillcats in three starts this season...He struck out 11 and walked none over 20.2 inning...He also gave up one home run over his three starts to 2B Levi Hyams...
Carolina League Stories from September 5, 2013
- Salem Red Sox Advance to Mills Cup Championship Series - Salem RidgeYaks
- Hillcats Eliminated on Walk-Off in the Ninth - Hill City Howlers
- Pelicans Eliminated from Postseason, Fall 4-3 against Red Sox - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Salem Red Sox Game Notes - Salem RidgeYaks
- Cose Honored as Topps Player of the Month - Winston-Salem Dash
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Hill City Howlers
- P-Nats Outlast Hillcats in Playoff Marathon - Potomac Nationals
- Hillcats Drop Marathon Opener 2-1 in 14 Innings - Hill City Howlers
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