Zavolas Zips Through Eight Complete While Leading Carolina to 5-1 Series Opening Victory

ZEBULON, N.C. - Noah Zavolas turned in an absolute gem as he pitched through eight complete innings with six strikeouts and Joantgel Segovia went 3-for-4 with his second lead off home run of the season as the Mudcats earned a 5-1 series opening win versus Myrtle Beach in front of a Friday night crowd of 5,636 at Five County Stadium.

Zavolas' near "Maddux" saw him pitch through a career high eight complete innings while reaching a career high 90 pitches. Those 90 pitches also included 71 strikes as Zavolas (2-2, 2.36) efficiently worked his way through the Pelicans (12-23) lineup while earning second win of the season. 
In all, Zavolas allowed one run, scattered five hits, walked one and struck out six in Saturday's series opening victory for the Mudcats. His only run allowed came in the third when he gave up a run scoring hit to Carlos Sepulveda. That hit also followed a balk that allowed Jhonny Bethencourt to second. Bethencourt singled to start the inning and scored after the balk on Sepulveda's hit.
The Pelicans scored a run on two hits while tying the game in the third, but also left the bases loaded as Zavolas finished the frame with a strikeout of clean up man Luke Reynolds. Zavolas also ended the fifth, sixth and seventh innings with strikeouts.
The one run Myrtle Beach third tied the game at 1-1 as the Mudcats struck first when Segovia started the opening frame with a homer to left. It was Segovia's fourth home run of the season and his second lead off blast. It was also his first of three hits in the game as he finished 3-for-4 with two runs and a RBI.
Alex Lange started for Myrtle Beach and allowed Segovia's homer in the first and later both of Carolina's tie breaking runs in the third. Those go-ahead runs came across after Segovia bunted his way on before moving to third on a double from Ryan Aguilar. Segovia then scored on that same hit from Aguilar after the ensuing throw to second was errantly missed by Bethencourt at short. Back-to-back groundouts from Tristen Lutz and Payton Henry brought in Aguilar to give Carolina a 3-1 lead.
Lange (1-5, 10.71) ended up pitching through the fifth and finished with three runs allowed on six hits over five and 1/3 innings. He also walked one and struck out three while reaching 91 pitches (53 strikes).
The Mudcats later extended their lead with a two-run and two-out double from Rob Henry in the seventh. The double came off reliever Tyler Peyton and scored both Aguilar and Lutz as they singled and walked earlier in the inning.
Aguilar went 2-for-4 with two runs and a double in the game. His double in the third was his eighth of the season and extended his current on-base streak to 23 consecutive games. Henry, meanwhile, was 1-for-3 in the game with a double and two RBI.
Peyton was the first of two Myrtle Beach relievers in the game and ended up allowing two runs on three hits over an inning and 1/3. Manny Rodriguez later followed and held Carolina scoreless over the final inning and 1/3 for the Pelicans. He also walked one and struck out two.
Cody Beckman worked the ninth for Carolina after Zavolas left the game. Beckman faced just three in the ninth and struck out one while wrapping up the series opening victory. 
The victory was also Carolina's third win in the current six game home stand. The Mudcats are currently 3-1 in the home stand with two games left to play versus Myrtle Beach in the series.
Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday night at 5:00 p.m. and will feature RHP Braden Webb making his first start with the Mudcats. Webb originally began the year in Double-A where he went 1-4 with a 9.00 ERA over six games and five starts. Saturday's game will feature the ever-popular Star Wars Night at Five County Stadium with the Mudcats taking the field in specialty designed Star Wars themed jerseys on Saturday, May 11. The Star Wars jerseys will be made available to fans for purchase through an online auction at auctions.carolinamudcats.com. All proceeds from the online jersey auction will benefit the JDRF Triangle/Eastern NC Chapter. 
The game will air live on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio. It will also stream in live HD video via paid subscription on MiLB.tv.
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