Sixth Inning Struggles Cost Hub City in 7-2 Loss
April 18, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hub City Spartanburgers News Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Spartanburgers right-hander David Davalillo exited Friday's game with a flourish after five scoreless, hitless innings. However, Hub City (7-6) lost a 2-0 lead, as a messy sixth inning allowed Bowling Green (7-6) to flip the contest on its head and coast to a 7-2 victory at Fifth Third Park.
A pair of top-30 prospects within their organizations getting the ball set up an expected pitcher's duel on Fifth Third Firework Friday. Right handers Davalillo and Gary Gill Hill (W, 1-0) delivered on expectations. Davilillo fanned nine through his five frames, and Gill Hill worked around Marcus Smith's two-run blast in the third to earn his first decision of the year.
Davalillo kicked off the contest with a four strikeout first inning after Emilien Pitre reached first base on a dropped third strike. Gill Hill answered Davalillo, facing the minimum through the first two innings with a strikeout of his own.
After relying on his defense in scoreless second and third innings, Davalillo went back to the bag of tricks to strike out the side again in the fourth. Hub City's starter was pitching with the lead after the nine-hole hitter Smith bashed a two-run home run over the Chaser's Corner wall in left field.
Davalillo continued his dominance in the fifth inning, retiring the side with a pair of groundouts and a strikeout. The Hub City starter's night finished after five innings of no-hit baseball. The only blemish in the scorebook for Davalillo was the dropped third strike. After that, the right-hander set down 14 straight Hot Rods.
Gill Hill provided a one-two-three fifth too, bringing the offense for Bowling Green back to the plate trailing 2-0. Left-hander Seth Clark (L, 0-1) replaced Davalillo and set down two of the first three batters he faced. After a walk to Pitre, the Hot Rods had runners at the corners with two away. A bloop single off the bat of Mac Horvath to left field allowed both runners to score. On the same play, a throwing error advanced Horvath to third. He would score two batters later, on an RBI single from Jhon Diaz. A hit batter and walk then loaded the bases, and Blake Robertson cleared them with a grand slam.
Florencio Serrano replaced Clark and shut the Hot Rods down for the final 3 1/3 innings. The Hub City offense could not mount a comeback against the Bowling Green bullpen in the final three innings. Gerlin Rosario and Hayden Snelsire combined to allow just one baserunner.
Bowling Green and Hub City return to Fifth Third Park tomorrow afternoon with the series tied at two. D.J. McCarty (0-1, 9.95 ERA) faces off against Santiago Suarez (0-0, 3.68 ERA) on the first Sign-It Saturday presented by Milliken. Spartanburgers will be available for autographs at the ballpark with first pitch slated for 4:35 p.m. ET.
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