Petrick powers Prairie Dogs

Published on June 8, 2012 under North American League (NAmL)
Abilene Prairie Dogs News Release


EDINBURG, TX - Todd Weldon and Scott Vander Weg were both unavailable after three consecutive relief appearances to start the series, Abilene had been left on the field twice in over the last three nights in Edinburg, and Billy Petrick was making his first start of the season. It all added up to tidy 6-1 Prairie Dogs' victory on Friday night.

Making his first start of the season after four relief appearances, Petrick was splendid over eight innings. The 6'7" righty allowed only six hits and just a single run on the way to perhaps the best outing of any Abilene starter to date. Petrick faced the minimum number of batters through the first pair of innings before he found trouble in the third. After consecutive two-out singles, the righty stranded both runners on by forcing Antoin Gray to bounce out to Eddie Browne at second base.

McAllen tallied their only run in the fourth inning when Brian Nichols and Nich Mahin sandwiched a Gio Rossa groundout with a pair of doubles to tie the game at one. After the fourth, it was smooth sailing for the former Major-leaguer. Petrick retired nine batters in a row before allowing a one-out-double to Craig Hertler in the eighth inning. The 10-year-veteran then collected a groundout and fly out before walking off the hill with eight dominant innings in his back pocket.

The Prairie Dogs scored their first run in the second inning on Zach Welch's first hit and first run driven in of 2012. Abilene struck again in the fifth when Joe Weik launched a sacrifice fly into centerfield, scoring Matt Thompson and giving the Dogs a 2-1 lead.

For most of Friday night's ballgame it appeared as though the hamstrung Abilene bullpen would be asked to cling to a 2-1 ninth inning lead. However, the Abilene bats awoke in the visiting ninth, collecting four runs on four hits to balloon the advantage to five runs. Newcomer Tylor Prudhomme highlighted the inning with a two-run single into left-field that scored the game's final two runs - Prudhomme reached base three times and was 2-5 with a run scored and a pair of runs driven in.

Abilene also got a boost from their third and fourth place hitters as Joe Weik and Kyle Nichols teamed up to go 4-9 on Friday with two runs scored and three runs driven in.

Gunner Glad pitched the ninth without allowing a hit and striking out two batters. The Prairie Dogs are now 3-4 on their 11 day, nine-game road trip which continues with the first of two games in San Angelo on Saturday night.

Hear the First Financial pre-game show on 106.9 KLGD beginning at 6:55. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05.

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North American League Stories from June 8, 2012


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