Walk-Off Wild Pitch in 10th Hands Tourists Heartbreaking 3-2 Loss
Published on May 28, 2026 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Asheville Tourists News Release
Asheville (9-38) pitched one of its best games of the season Thursday night, but it wasn't enough.
A wild pitch from Joan Ogando in the bottom of the 10th inning scored Natanael Yuten from third and handed the Drive (19-27) a 3-2 walk-off win over the Tourists. Two of Greenville's three runs came on an error and a wild pitch. Those mistakes unraveled an otherwise dominant pitching performance.
Cole Hertzler was exceptional in his start. The right-hander went 5.2 innings, scattering two hits and one run while striking out eight. Colby Langford was just as good in relief, tossing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts before Ogando entered in the 10th.
Greenville matched with an equally good day on the mound. Starter Devin Futrell allowed two runs over five innings. Then Ben Hansen slammed the door with a long relief outing, tossing four scoreless innings with one hit allowed, and four strikeouts.
Asheville struck first. Caden Powell smashed a solo home run to center field in the top of the second to put the Tourists ahead 1-0.
Greenville answered in the third. Luke Heyman hit a sacrifice fly deep to right, scoring Henry Godbout from third to tie the game. Then, Ethan Frey responded, crushing a solo shot to center to put the Tourists in front 2-1. His fourth RBI in three games at Greenville.
Asheville entered the sixth with that same 2-1 lead, the furthest into a game this series that the Tourists have held a lead. Then, with two outs and two runners on, Freili Encarnacion bounced a high chopper up the middle. Kyle Walker ranged over to field it but sailed his throw wide of first, allowing Mason White to score from third and tie the game at 2-2.
Greenville had a good chance to walk it off in the ninth. Encarnacion led off with a single, but Colby Langford induced a groundball to second baseman Alejandro Nunez who, with Walker at short, completed the double play. Langford then struck out Yuten to send the game to extras.
In the 10th, Joan Ogando couldn't escape. With Yuten on third and Luke Heyman at the plate, a 0-0 pitch slipped out of Ogando's hand and sailed over both Heyman and Tourists catcher John Garcia and slammed to the backstop. Garcia and Ogando tried to combine for a play at the plate, but it was too late. Yuten raced in from third and scored to end it.
The Tourists fall to 9-38. The Drive improve to 19-27. Asheville and the Drive meet again Friday night at Fluor Field. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m.
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