Rascals Cruise Past Otters in Spring Training
May 7, 2017 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Forest City Owls News Release
The River City Rascals scored 13 runs on 12 hits Sunday afternoon to defeat the Evansville Otters, 13-4, in the team's final spring training game of the year at Bosse Field in Evansville, Indiana.
In the three spring training games combined, the Rascals put up 27 runs total and look to pick things right back up when they open the regular season Friday night at CarShield Field against the Normal CornBelters. Among the league leaders offensively last year, River City led the Frontier League in batting average at a .283 and were top five in runs scored (482), home runs (80) and RBI (442).
The Rascals offense got going early on Sunday and scored two runs in the top of the second against Otters southpaw Hunter Ackerman. With two outs, the Rascals loaded the bases with a Jason Merjano single and a pair of walks to bring up Josh Ludy. The former Baylor Bear then delivered a two RBI single up the middle to give the Rascals a 2-0 lead and it would grow larger the rest of the game.
In the fourth inning, the Rascals loaded the bases once again, this time against right-hander Austin Sweet. Sweet walked Arby Fields to make it 3-0 and Jordan Hinshaw extended the Rascals lead to four with a RBI groundout to drive in Connor Teykl. The Rascals added two more runs in the inning via a Clint Freeman two RBI single.
River City broke out the bats once again in the following frame to take their biggest lead of the afternoon and by the time the inning was over the Rascals held a 12-0 lead. In total, the Rascals sent eleven batters to the plate and tallied six hits all coming with two outs. Out of the six runs scored, Mike Jurgella and Clint Freeman drove in one a piece and Jordan Hinshaw and Josh Silver each tallied two RBI singles to cap off the Rascals six run inning.
Jimmy Kerrigan ripped a RBI single up the middle in the eighth to give the Rascals their 13th run and that would be all the Rascals scoring the remainder of the ballgame. Defensively the shutout bid ended in the bottom of the fifth when the Otters scored two runs (one unearned) against southpaw Chris Cummins. The Rascals allowed one more unearned run in the seventh, this time with Reese Gregory on the mound to make it 12-3 and the Otters final run came in the ninth inning against Skylar Hunter via a double from Joe DeRoche-Duffin.
Other pitchers for the Rascals included southpaw starters Dan Ludwig and Austin Warner throwing a pair of scoreless frames and Stephan Swagerty, who kept the Otters off the scoreboard in the eighth.
River City heads back to O'Fallon and continues preparation for the 2017 season opener Friday night at home against the Normal CornBelters at CarShield Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 and to purchase tickets visit
• Discuss this story on the Coastal Plain League message board...
Coastal Plain League Stories from May 7, 2017
- Rascals Cruise Past Otters in Spring Training - Forest City Owls
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
