Savannah At Columbus Doubleheader Recap

Published on April 6, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbus Catfish News Release


Columbus, GA- Following last night's postponement of the third game of four between Savannah and Columbus, today saw a double-header full of twists and turns. The first game began as the others had for the Catfish, consisting of a healthy diet of ground ball outs and errors. Like wise, the Sand Gnats picked up where their bats had left off Friday night, as Francisco Pena belted a monstrous two-run homer in the top of the first inning to put the ‘Gnats up 2-0. However, Savannah's bats slowed down as they only scored two more runs the rest of the way, one in the third and one in the fourth.

Columbus put together its first run of the season in the fourth inning of Game 1 by implementing small-ball tactics. Stephen Vogt walked after Reid Fronk grounded out to shortstop and Cody Cipriano struck-out swinging; and he then put himself in to scoring position by stealing second base. The number six hitter in the lineup, Henry Wrigley, then followed Vogt's steal with an RBI double, putting the score at 4-1. Neither team scored in the 5th or 6th, but Columbus mounted one last rally in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs after loading the bases via two walks and an error by the Sand Gnat's shortstop Matthew Bouchard. Reliever Nick Waechter then walked Reid Fronk to score a run for the Catfish, and gave up another run on a groundout from Cody Cipriano. Yet, just as momentum had built up for the Columbus Catfish, defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory as third baseman Jake Eigsti snagged a line drive off of the bat of Stephen Vogt that would have undoubtedly plated the winning runs for the Catfish.

Game two was a brief one hour and forty-five minutes. Columbus' bats truly came alive for the first time in this homestand, as they scored three runs in the third inning by means of two singles, a steal, a sacrifice fly, and an in-the-park home run from Reid Fronk. In the fourth, Vogt and McCormick hit back to back doubles- tacking on another run for the ‘Fish. Their fifth and final run came in the bottom of the sixth inning as Columbus compiled three singles from McCormick, Wrigley, and Luna. Fireworks came in the form of retribution from Julio Polanco, as he drilled Reid Fronk between the shoulder blades in his first at-bat following his third inning home run. Polanco seemingly took exception to the fact that Fronk had run over Savannah's catcher Jordan Abruzzo, in his successful attempt at an inside-the-park homerun. Both dugouts were warned following the HBP. However, in the top of the seventh, Columbus exacted their revenge for Fronk's beaning, by hitting Jordan Abruzzo with a pitch in the back of the helmet. The pitcher Kevin Boggan and Manager Matt Quatraro were immediately ejected, following the warnings given earlier by home-plate umpire Koyu Inoue. Peace was restored and Travis Risser closed out the win for Columbus.

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South Atlantic League Stories from April 6, 2008


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