Dominant pitching helps Blue squad even series
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - A solid start from Matt Bradley and a phenomenal relief effort from Jake Wright helped the Blue squad even the baseball Orange and Blue World Series at one game apiece on Wednesday, Oct. 20.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - A solid start from Matt Bradley and a phenomenal relief effort from Jake Wright helped the Blue squad even the baseball Orange and Blue World Series at one game apiece on Wednesday, Oct. 20.
The duo combined for 11 strikeouts as the Blue team earned a 5-1 victory over the Orange team at The Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
The scoring started early for the Blue team as an RBI single from Andrew Carpenter in the top of the first inning scored Ryan Potts to give the squad the early 1-0 advantage. The Orange team answered in the bottom of the frame, with Henry Jackson scoring a run off an error by Bradley, tying the game at one run apiece.
The Blue team broke the deadlock in the top of the third inning after Jordan Griffin came in to score following Carpenter grounding into a double play.
The Blue squad broke the scoring open in the top of the fourth inning thanks to an RBI triple from Bryce Hanley scored Cade Burkey and Zach Brook to swell the lead to 4-1. Following a wild pitch by Hunter Harritan, Hanley would race 90 feet himself to score a run of his own, giving the Blue team the eventual 5-1 victory.
Carpenter lead the blue team in batting, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Hanley finished the day 1-for-2, drawing a walk in addition to his two RBI triple bagger.
The Orange team were lead offensively by Gunnar Ricketts, who continued his strong series going 2-for-2 today with two singles and getting hit by a pitch. Ricketts has failed to reach base safely just once this entire series.
Bradley earns the win for the Blue team, going 5.1 innings allowing one run off of four hits while hitting two batters and striking out six. Wright entered the game and struck out the first four batters he faced in relief, going the final 1.2 innings without allowing a single hit.
Griff Hughes was handed the loss for the Orange team. Hughes allowed four runs off of five hits, hit two batters, walked another two and struck out one. Harritan went 1.0 innings, allowing one hit and striking out one batter while throwing the lone wild pitch of the day. Corey Wilson went 1.0 innings for the Orange squad, allowing one hit while tossing a strikeout. Noah Maples and Brock Culpepper made their Mossy Creek debuts. Maples went 1.0 innings allowing zero runs, while Culpepper closed out the final frame, walking two batters.
The series is now tied at 1-1. In scoring margin, Orange still leads the Blue team 12-10. If the series ends in a tie, the runs differential will be used to declare a winner.
Both teams will meet again tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 21 at 3:15 P.M. at The Silver Diamond Baseball Complex. A free audio only stream will be available at cneagles.com/live for those unable to make it to the ballpark
