Pilots Drop Owls, 5-1
June 18, 2016 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Peninsula Pilots News Release
HAMPTON, Va.- The Peninsula Pilots used some stellar pitching and timely hitting to pull out a 5-1 victory against the Forest City Owls on Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium.
Darian Carpenter (Virginia Commonwealth) highlighted the Pilots' offense, going 2-for-4 with a RBI. The Pilots' six pitchers were the real stars of the night though, allowing a combined one run while striking out 15 batters, which tied a season-high.
The Pilots got off to a hot start in the first inning, scoring two of their three runs right out of the gate. A walk from Kyle McPherson (James Madison) put a man on base with one out, and a double in the next at-bat from Will Shepherd (Liberty) scored McPherson from first. Two batters later, Carpenter plated Shepherd with a single to center field.
Forest City scored a run of their own in the top of the third inning. After a two-out double from Austen Dennis (Middle Tennessee State), Adam Ordonez (North Carolina A&T) plated him with a single to center field, making the score 2-1.
The Pilots played copycat in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Carpenter smacked a double up the left field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Andrew Yacyk (Liberty) then drove him in with a sacrifice fly to center field, making the score 3-1.
After four consecutive scoreless innings, the Pilots added some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Pinch hitting for Yacyk, Josh Close (Liberty) hit an infield single to shortstop, Franco Guardascione (Seton Hall) was hit by a pitch, and Nick Walker (Old Dominion) walked to load the bases. A fielding error on a McPherson ground ball allowed Close and Guardascione to score, pushing the final two runs in the Pilots' 5-1 win.
The Pilots' pitching shined in what would end up being a full staff outing, with six different pitchers taking the mound. Starter Josh Winder (VMI) threw three innings, allowing the Owls' only run and striking out four. Devin Mahoney (Saint Louis) followed suit, pitching two innings while striking out two and allowing only one hit. Colin Nowak (Southern Indiana) and Colt Harlow (James Madison) each tossed a scoreless inning before giving way to Norfolk State pitchers, Michael Parmentier and Robbie Hiser, who rendered Forest City ineffective in the eighth and ninth innings. Parmentier pitched a perfect eighth inning, striking out all three batters using only 12 pitches, and Hiser did the same in the ninth inning, this time using 14 pitches. Overall, the Pilots struck out 15 batters, tying for their most in a game this season.
The Pilots host Wilmington tomorrow night for Father's Day. For more information regarding the season, please visit www.peninsulapilots.com.
Coastal Plain League Stories from June 18, 2016
- Fish Rally in Ninth But Can't Overcome Stangs Stampede in Fourth - Lexington County Blowfish
- Pilots Drop Owls, 5-1 - Peninsula Pilots
- Sharks Get Ahead Early, Hang on to Win 7th Straight - Wilmington Sharks
- HiToms Hold on over SwampDogs - Fayetteville SwampDogs
- Clams Slugged by Sharks - Edenton Steamers
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