SwampDogs Snap Losing Streak, Beat Petersburg 8-6

July 8, 2014 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Fayetteville SwampDogs News Release


PETERSBURG, Va. - It has been a long season for the SwampDogs' Palmer Page (Utah Valley), but on Tuesday afternoon in Petersburg, he would be the hero for the Fayetteville SwampDogs, as they would defeat the Generals 8-6.

The Generals would get out of the gate quickly, scoring a run in the first inning against SwampDogs starter Hasten Freeman (Arkansas - Fort Smith). Right fielder Ryan Owens worked a one out walk, first baseman Thomas Stallings would get hit by a pitch two batters later on a controversial call.

Stallings was originally ruled to have hit the ball with the knob of his bat, but after an appeal it was said he was hit on the hand with the pitch and went down to first. The next batter, catcher Connor Andrews singled to bring home Owens and give the Generals a 1-0 lead.

The SwampDogs would strike back in the third inning against Petersburg starter Grant Cain. Page would lead off with a single, then steal second base. Two batters later, Michael Bozarth (Saint Louis) walked and Tyler Coolbaugh (Oklahoma) singled to load the bases for Lane Paul (Murray State College). Paul lined a triple down the right field line to clear the bases and give the Dogs the lead. The next batter, Brandon Metoyer (Menlo), grounded out to shortstop to bring home Paul and the Dogs led 4-1.

Paul would have have a productive game at the plate, having just the one hit, but driving in four runs, and leads the team with 21 RBIs.

In the bottom half on the inning, Freeman hit shortstop David Martinez with a pitch. An errant pickoff attempt allowed Martinez to reach second, but it wouldn't matter as two batters later, designated hitter Jeremy Wolfe hit an opposite field homerun over the 20-foot wall in left centerfield to make it 4-3 SwampDogs.

The next inning, the Generals would tie the game up after second baseman Jerrod Groves tripled with one out, and came in to score when third baseman Aaron Hatch grounded out to shortstop.

They would briefly take the lead in the fifth inning, when Martinez was walked to lead off the frame. Four batters later, Andrews would double off the top of the wall to bring home Martinez, and the Generals were up 5-4.

In the sixth inning with two outs, Page would even the score up when he took Cain deep for his first homerun of the season. Page was the offensive star for the SwampDogs, going 3-4 with the homer, two runs scored and a stolen base.

The SwampDogs would briefly regain the lead in the seventh after Bozarth reached on an error to lead off the inning against Cain. Coolbaugh would sacrifice him to second base, and Cain was removed from the game. Jamar Hinton would come in and allow a sacrifice fly to Lane Paul which scored Bozarth, after he had stolen third earlier in Paul's at bat.

The Generals would strike right back and even the score up against Bennett Schiltz (Midland) in the bottom of the seventh, when Stallings would walk with one out, then Andrews would double, moving Stallings to third. The next batter, left fielder Spencer Wilmes would single and bring home Stallings to tie the game 6-6.

The even score would only last for a moment, as the SwampDogs would take the lead back in the eighth inning, when Kam Stewart (Frostburg State) led off with a walk, and was sacrificed down to second by Alex Harris (Dayton). David Palenzuela (Miami Dade), as a pinch hitter for Chase Edwards (Mount Olive) would single up the middle, and a misplay by centerfielder Greg Turlik allowed Stewart to race around and score after he had pulled up at third base.

Rayne Raven (Cal State - Northridge) would pitch a scoreless frame in the bottom of the eighth, and the Dogs would tack on an insurance run in the ninth inning. Coolbaugh would lead off the inning against Justin Novak with a double down the right field line that went right under the glove of a diving Stallings. Three batters later, Stewart would single on a texas leaguer into right centerfield and Coolbaugh would score to make it 8-6 SwampDogs.

Raven remained in the game in the ninth to get the six out save as the SwampDogs would snap their five-game losing streak.

Schiltz (2-2) got the win for the SwampDogs, and Hinton (0-2) got the loss, Raven's save was his first of the year.

The SwampDogs return home Wednesday night to face the Wilmington Sharks at 7:05 pm on Tom Hanks Night at The Swamp. For tickets and more information, call the SwampDogs offices at 426-5900.



Coastal Plain League Stories from July 8, 2014


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