Woodpeckers Open 2025 Season with 7-0 Shutout Victory
April 4, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers News Release
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The Fayetteville Woodpeckers (1-0) kicked off the 2025 season with a 7-0 shutout victory over the Lynchburg Hillcats (0-1) on Opening Night Friday at Segra Stadium. Friday's ballgame marked the start of the sixth season in franchise history and first with the Woodpeckers as a member of the Carolina League north division.
The Woodpeckers led from start to finish after Jancel Villarroel scored in the bottom of the first on a wild pitch. Max Holy added on in the second inning with an RBI triple lined into the right-center field gap for a 2-0 advantage against Lynchburg starter Braylon Doughty (L, 0-1).
Joan Ogando was named the Opening Night starter and pieced together 3.1 scoreless innings of one-hit ball. The 20-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic worked around a bases-loaded jam in the second inning and struck out five before turning the ball over to Twine Palmer (W, 1-0).
Palmer, a 19th round pick out of Connors State, fanned six over 3.0 scoreless innings of relief and surrendered just one hit in his season debut.
The game was locked down with a four-run bottom of the eighth aided by a struggling Lynchburg bullpen. Luis Flores allowed four runs on an Esmil Valencia RBI single, two wild pitches that plated Valencia and Lucas Spence, plus a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch of Waner Luciano that made it a 7-0 game.
Ryan Smith (SV, 1) closed out the game with two scoreless innings of relief. The ninth round pick out of Illinois-Chicago stranded the bases loaded after walking three in the eighth, then capped the Opening Night victory with a scoreless ninth.
Opening Weekend continues Saturday with the second game of a three-game series against Lynchburg. Fayetteville is projected to start RHP Cole Hertzler and Lynchburg will roll out RHP Cam Walty. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a Chenille Cap Giveaway courtesy of Blue Diamond Transportation.
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