Pilots Split DH with Marlins
June 21, 2016 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Peninsula Pilots News Release
HAMPTON, Va. - The Peninsula Pilots took on the Morehead City Marlins in a double header Monday night, winning the first game 10-2 and falling in the second game 8-6.
In the first game, the three-headed monster of Kurt Sinnen (Old Dominion), Will Shepherd (Liberty), and Darian Carpenter (Virginia Commonwealth) supplied most of the offense for the Pilots. Sinnen and Carpenter both went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs, and Shepherd went 3-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
The Pilots' offense perked up early in this one, scoring two runs in the first inning. With two outs, Shepherd walked to put a man on base. In the next at-bat, Carpenter striped a triple over the center fielder's head, scoring Shepherd in the process. Devin Mahoney (Saint Louis) plated Carpenter on a single to right field, finishing up the two-out rally and making the score 2-0 after the first inning.
The runs really piled up for the Pilots in the second inning due to a combination of timely hitting and some miscues by the Morehead City defense. Logan Augustine (Lincoln Memorial) reached base on an error to lead off the inning, and Kyle Wrighte (William & Mary) walked to put men on base in consecutive at-bats. Evan Fernandez (Jacksonville) then singled, allowing Augustine to score and Wrighte to reach third base as a result of a fielding error by the center fielder. Nick Walker (Old Dominion) loaded the bases by reaching on a fielding error, and then Sinnen hit a two-run double to left field, plating both Fernandez and Wrighte. Shepherd scored Walker on a chopper single to shortstop, making it six consecutive batters who reached base. Sinnen advanced to third on a sacrifice fly from Mahoney and scored the fifth and final run of the inning on a wild pitch, extending the Pilots' lead to 7-0.
The Marlins responded with some offense of their own in the third inning. Justin Weigle (Ouachita Baptist) reached base on a walk, advanced to second base on a fielder's choice, and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly from Christian Campbell (Rutgers). Romeo Cortina (St. Edwards University) then plated Weigle on a single to right field, making the score 7-1 after three innings.
Morehead City got on the board again in the fourth inning. Kyle Holbrook (Dartmouth) singled to get on base, advanced to second base on a wild pitch, and advanced to third base after an infield single from Matthew Batten (Quinnipiac). Mark Vaughn (Arkansas Tech) scored Holbrook in the next at-bat on a sacrifice fly to right field, but the Marlins could not produce any more runs in the inning.
The Pilots added some offense of their own in the bottom of the fourth inning. Shepherd reached first base with a beautiful bunt single that nestled in the sweet spot of the infield, and Carpenter walked to put two men on base. Kyle McPherson (James Madison) then singled to score Shepherd from second base. In the next at-bat, Augustine singled to right field to bring in Carpenter.
The Pilots added to their 9-2 lead in the fifth inning. With two outs, Sinnen walked and Shepherd singled to center field, advancing Sinnen to third base. A single from Carpenter allowed Sinnen to cross home, putting the Pilots in double digits with a 10-2 lead.
The Marlins made a huge push in the seventh and final inning of the first double-header game to get some runs on the board, but it was to no avail due to the pitching of Tim Edwards (Seton Hall). With no outs in the inning, Vaughn, Andrew Gazzola (Stony Brook), and Brandon Shaffer (Indiana Weslyan) loaded the bases with a single, a walk, and a single, respectively. Then Edwards, despite allowing the loaded bases, came through with some clutch pitching. Edwards proceeded to record three consecutive outs, one a fly ball and two swinging strikeouts, ending the game with the adoration of a raucous crowd and a final score of 10-2.
Colin Nowak (Southern Indiana) picked up his first win as a Pilot after throwing four innings and striking out four.
In the second game of the double header, the Pilots continued their high-octane offense early, but could not muster enough hits late to overtake Morehead City.
Charlie Cody (Virginia) and Drake McNamara (Southern Indiana) both had good games at the plate for the Pilots in the nightcap. Cody went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI, and McNamara went 2-for-2 with two RBIs.
The Pilots continued right where they left off in the first game, scoring four runs in the first inning. Joe Poduslenko (Seton Hall) led off the game for the Pilots with a double to the gap in left center field, and Cole Austin (West Virginia) reached base on a bunt single, advancing Poduslenko to third base in the process. Poduslenko then scored on a failed pick off attempt of Austin, with Austin advancing to second base on the play. Carpenter, continuing his busy day on the bases, reached on a fielding error that also allowed Austin to reach third base. Cody then contributed some real fireworks, popping a double off the wall in center field that plated Austin and advanced Carpenter to third base. The final runs of the inning came as a result of a single up the middle from McNamara with Cody and Carpenter scoring on the play, making the score 4-0 after one inning.
Morehead City touched the scoreboard in the third inning. Dominick Cammarata (Tennessee) doubled to left center to lead off the inning and reached third base on a sacrifice fly from Michael Druhan (Spring Hill). Vaughn then plated Cammarata on a fielder's choice groundout to second base, making the score 4-1.
The Marlins had their biggest inning of the double header in the third inning, scoring five runs. Matt O'Neill (Pennsylvania) walked, Weigle tapped a bunt single, and Tyler Weyenburg (Presbyterian) reached on a throwing error to load the bases with no outs. Tanner Kirwer (Niagara) then plated O'Neill on a fielder's choice. Cortina scored Weigle on another fielder's choice, Then, after stealing second, Cortina scored on a Cammarata single to left field. To finish off the inning in impressive fashion, Druhan smashed a two-run home run over the left field wall, giving the Marlins the first lead of the double header with a 6-4 score.
The Marlins' lead did not last long, however, as the Pilots responded with some hitting of their own in the bottom of the third inning. Carpenter, again finding his way to the bases, reached on a throwing error. Cody singled to center field and McNamara walked to load the bases, and then Andrew Yacyk (Liberty) plated Carpenter on a sacrifice fly to center field. In the next at-bat, Josh Close (Liberty) singled up the middle to score Cody from second base, evening the score at six apiece.
After two scoreless innings, Morehead City pulled ahead for good in the sixth inning. Batten reached on a throwing error and O'Neill singled to put two men on base. Both runners advanced one base on a sacrifice bunt from Weigle, and Weyenburg delivered the knockout blow with a double to right field that plated both Batten and O'Neill, scoring the last two runs of the night and finalizing the score at 8-6.
The Pilots travel to Edenton on Tuesday and Wilson on Thursday, but they come back to War Memorial Stadium Friday night to take on Martinsburg for Bethel Baptist Night. For more information regarding the season, please visit www.peninsulapilots.com. For up to the minute details on Pilots Baseball be sure to "Like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PeninsulaPilots. Use the #PilotsNation to spread the word about the Pilots!
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Coastal Plain League Stories from June 21, 2016
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