Mistakes Doom Owls at Edenton
June 16, 2011 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Forest City Owls News Release
EDENTON, N.C. - The Forest City Owls dropped their contest to the Northern Division-leading Edenton Steamers, 6-0, Thursday night at Historic Hicks Field. The Owls played the second game of a three-day road trip and saw their three-game winning streak snapped. The Owls fall to 9-7, while the Steamers improve to 10-4.
Forest City committed five errors, the team's highest total of the season. It was the eighth game in which the Owls committed multiple errors. The Owls are now 4-4 in games where they've committed more than one error.
Forest City's Andrew Brown took the mound for his third start of the season. The Akron right-hander pitched well but was doomed by defensive miscues. He threw 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on three hits, striking out three batters and walking four. Brown was saddled with his first loss of the campaign.
Edenton countered with right-hander Dave Bartuska, who was electric. Bartuska tossed seven innings of no-run ball, allowing only four hits, striking out five batters and issuing one walk. Bartuska was rewarded with his first victory of the season.
Both starting pitchers were in total control over the first three innings. Neither team was able to muster a hit until the third frame. The Steamers drew first blood in the bottom of the fourth inning, almost completely due to the efforts of LF Ryan Brenner. Brenner reached first base on a leadoff walk then proceeded to steal second while 2B Joe Wendle was at the plate. On the next pitch, Brenner took off towards third. Owls catcher P.J. Torres' throw bounced off 3B Jordan Betts' glove and trickled into left field, allowing Brenner to scamper home. Edenton led 1-0 after four innings of play.
The Steamers took another unconventional route to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs and two runners on base, Brenner legged out an infield single. As Owls 2B Jake Watson was throwing to first, catcher Nick Gaeta was racing home. Once the ball reached Forest City 1B Dusty Quattlebaum, he immediately threw it past Torres at the plate, allowing Gaeta and CF Brett Christopher to score. Edenton owned a 3-0 lead through five frames.
The Owls were able to load the bases with two outs in the top of the sixth inning. However, RF Axel Johnson flew out to left field, rendering the Forest City threat moot.
Forest City mistakes led to another Steamers run in the bottom of the sixth. Steamers DH Vinnie Meja walked to lead off the inning. He advanced to second after Quattlebaum was unable to snag a throw from CF Buddy Sosnoskie. With two outs, 1B Adam Giacalone hit a stinging groundball to the right side. Watson knocked the ball down, but his throw to first flew past Quattlebaum, allowing Meja to sprint home and knocking Brown out of the ballgame. Edenton closed the sixth inning with a 4-0 advantage.
Edenton added even more insult to injury in the bottom of the eighth inning. With a runner on base and one out, Giacalone crushed a two-run home run over the right field wall off Brad MacHaffie that likely landed somewhere in Albemarle Sound. Giacalone's towering jack made it 6-0 Steamers after eight frames.
3B Jordan Betts was the only Owl to register more than one hit. He finished 2-for-3. Edenton's Giacalone went 2-for-4 with a home run, a run scored, and two RBIs. Christopher went 2-for-2 with a run scored.
The Owls wrap up their road trip tomorrow night, when they meet the Martinsville Mustangs. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM from Hooker Field.
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Coastal Plain League Stories from June 16, 2011
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- SwampDogs now 0-3 against RedWolves this season - Fayetteville SwampDogs
- Marlins Suffer Narrow Defeat - Morehead City Marlins
- Edenton Whitewashes Forest City 6-0 - Edenton Steamers
- Sharks pick up win over Morehead City - Wilmington Sharks
- Rogers leads HiToms to victory - High Point-Thomasville HiToms
- Mistakes Doom Owls at Edenton - Forest City Owls
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