FL River City Rascals

Rascals Split Doubleheader against Evansville

Published on May 26, 2016 under Frontier League (FL)
River City Rascals News Release


Breakout innings for the River City Rascals (6-4) and the Evansville Otters (6-5) gave them each a win during the doubleheader Wednesday night at CarShield Field. River City took game one 8-4 and were unable to earn their second doubleheader sweep of the year as they dropped 10-5 in game two.

Game One

Searching to move three games over .500, the Rascals fell behind early after a pair of extra-base hits, including a RBI double from Dane Phillips who would go on to have an excellent night for the Otters.

After Rascals starter Joe Scanio got out of the inning, leadoff hitter Dominique Taylor singled to begin the bottom of the first. That hit made it four consecutive games the centerfielder has got the offense going with leadoff hit in the opening frame, however he was caught stealing a few pitches later. Johnny Morales and Josh Ludy would each tally a hit in the inning but were left stranded and trailed 1-0 after the first.

The Otters wouldn't hold the lead for long though as the Rascals offense put together some good at-bats to take their first lead of the ballgame. Griff Gordon singled to begin the second inning and Mike Jurgella launched a two-run blast over the left field wall to give the Rascals a 2-1 lead off starter Max Duval.

The most recent Frontier League Player of the Week, Nick Balog, answered with a sacrifice fly off Scanio their next opportunity and the Rascals offense had search for the lead again.

It would come quickly as Morales notched his second hit, got to second on a ground out, stole third and came home to score on a wild pitch allowing Scanio to pitch with the lead for the second time in the contest.

Scanio failed to hold it, allowing a solo home run to Kurt Wertz and a RBI single from Balog that chased him out of the contest in the fifth inning. Manager Steve Brook went to veteran Nick Kennedy with two on and one out and it payed off as the righty forced Chris Sweeny into a double play.

River City took that momentum and had one of their biggest innings of the regular season. All with two outs, the Rascals got seven consecutive baserunners and it was the rookie Robby Enslen that put the Rascals ahead for the rest of the contest. With two outs and bases loaded, Enslen delivered a two RBI single putting the Rascals up by one. Clint Freeman drove in two more and then Jurgella notched his first three RBI game of the season, giving the Rascals bullpen a four run cushion which they held the remainder of the game.

Nick Kennedy retired the side in order in the sixth and earned the win, his first of the season. Closer Zac Treece entered the game looking to pick up the final three outs and did just that, retiring three of the top four hitters in the Otters lineup and struck out two. The righty leads the team in strikeouts with 14 and has struck out more than half of the batters he has faced.

In his third start of the season, Scanio took a no-decision allowing four runs on nine hits and struck out two.

Game Two

The Evansville Otters put together a pair of big innings late in the contest and the pitching staff held the Rascals scoreless the final two frames to avoid the doubleheader sweep.

However it wasn't easy for the Otters as they had to play from behind the majority of the contest. The Rascals jumped on the Otters lefty Dylan Badura right away and picking up right where he left off earlier in the day, Robby Enslen gave the Rascals the lead with a RBI single scoring Johnny Morales.

After the Otters tied the contest at one off of Rascals southpaw Lucas Laster, Josh Silver notched his second of his four hits in game two. The second hit was two-run home run giving the Rascals a 3-1 lead in the third and then Dominique Taylor gave the Rascals one more with a RBI ground out scoring Jurgella.

Rascals starter Lucas Laster went 3.1 innings allowing one run on five hits before being replaced by Will Schierholz. Schierholz combined with Laster to hold the Otters off the scoreboard in the fourth, but allowed a leadoff single in the following frame. The righty struck out the next hitter and manager Steve Brook went to left-hander Michael Gunn to face the former second round draft pick of the San Diego Padres Dane Phillips and he answered with a two-run blast bringing the Rascals lead down to one. The Otters took the lead and held it the remainder of the contest two batters later with another two run shot, this time from Chris Sweeny.

After River City tied it up in the bottom of the fifth, the Otters took a 7-5 lead in the 6th and added two more home runs in the seventh off of Kyle Bogese to round out their 10-5 victory.

Despite the loss, the Rascals still have a chance to win their third series in a row as they host the Otters for the rubber match at CarShield Field. RHP Zeb Sneed will get the start and first pitch is scheduled for 6:35.

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Frontier League Stories from May 26, 2016


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