By Lonnie Turner
Tuesday, April 22
McLeod Health Marlins 13, Pepsi-Cola Blue Jays 2
The McLeod Health Marlins scored nine runs in the first two innings in Wednesday’s first of two games and went on to knock the Pepsi-Cola Blue Jays from the top of the Dillon Kiwanis Minor League by a final score of 13-2.
Three players for the Marlins rapped two hits apiece with Chandler Pittman leading the way with a pair of triples and three runs batted in. Cadillac Hunt sent two runners scampering across home plate with two more hits and Avery Hewitt doubled and singled, accounting for one RBI. Leo Garcia added a two-bagger that scored one of four runs in the top of the first. Hunt went the distance on the mound for the win, allowing only two hits, both by Nigel George, who doubled and tripled in his only two at-bats and scored both runs for the Blue Jays. George took the loss.
Ace Hardware Tigers 6, Burger King Braves 1
The Tigers took advantage of 14 bases on balls to stop the Braves, 6-1, in Tuesday’s first game, scoring all six runs as a direct result of the walks.
Dylan Windham and Andrew Bryant walked in the first inning and crossed the plate on a two-base hit by Zach Hunt and in the third scored three more runs without the benefit of a base hit. There were six free passes in the inning and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Windham, who also picked up the win on the mound. He allowed only two hits by the Braves, which were singles by D.G. Brogdon and Jaiden Chandler.
Quashawn Singleton was issued the first of six walks in the fourth inning and scored the final run for the Tigers on a ground out by Alex Jensen.
Thursday, April 24
Feed & Farm Store Rangers 8, Physicians Healthcare Yankees 6
The Rangers sent 10 batters to the plate in the third inning to score five runs in a come from behind 8-6 victory over the Yankees in Thursday’s first of two scheduled Major League games.
The Yankees had taken an early 3-0 lead in the opening frame, scoring on three hits, including an inside the park home run by leadoff hitter Amari Huggins-Bruce, and one error. John Rourke was perfect at the plate with two singles and an intentional walk to lead the Rangers at bat. Trent Johnson had a double in the big inning and Chris Hunt also hit a two-bagger driving in one run in the same inning.
The Yankees chipped away at the lead with Bruce hitting his second homer in the third, but fell short after scoring two more runs on three hits in their last at bat. Tanner McKenzie doubled and Masen Furr joined Azeon Brown with singles in the inning. Jon Michael Davis singled and scored on an error in the last inning for the Rangers. Tristian Brigman recorded the win and BoBo McKinnon was charged with the loss.
Dillon Meat Center Reds 12, Dillon Internal Medicine Hurricanes 0
In the second game of the evening, the Reds knocked the Hurricanes from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 12-0 shutout.
Chase Dudney’s two-run homer sparked a 9-run rally in the third inning that saw 12 batters parade to the plate. Collin Hamilton went 2-for-2 (2 singles, 1 RBI); Dudney added a single; and Jared Ivey tripled and singled in the game.
Also hitting safely were “Endzone” Bethea (Triple, 1 RBI); Gage Hunt (Double, RBI); Barnes Causey (Single, 2 RBIs); and Nathan Hyler had an RBI single. Josh Brown’s lead off infield hit in the top of the first inning for the Hurricanes was the only hit off starting and winning pitcher Barnes Causey.
