Down East Holds Off Lynchburg In Marathon

The Down East Wood Ducks held off the Lynchburg Hillcats on Friday night by a score of 5-3.

The game began after an hour-long rain delay, cooling off both pitchers. When action began, Down East took advantage of the delay and attacked Jogly Garcia.

For the third straight night, the Wood Ducks would start the scoring, this time in the first inning. Julain Brock would drive a run home with an RBI single before Atonis Macias would follow suit later in the frame, putting the Wood Ducks up 2-0.

The Wood Ducks would follow suit with a third in the second inning as an error on a ground ball up the middle would allow a runner to score from second. The ball ricocheted off the glove of Jogly Garcia, causing an awkward spin that ate up Christian Knapczyk.

The game would remain quiet until the fifth inning as Down East would strike again. A sacrifice fly from Casey Cook would move the Wood Ducks up by four.

Lynchburg would finally crack the scoreboard in the fifth inning as Tommy Hawke would lay down a sacrifice bunt. A throwing error by the pitcher would allow Fran Alduey to score from second. Later in the inning, Hawke would scamper home on a wild pitch, pushing the score to 4-2.

Down East would strike back in the top of the sixth as a double by Echedry Vargas would double in the gap, re-extending the lead back up to three.

The game would stay quiet until the bottom of the ninth when the Hillcats would make their move once again. Alduey would triple home a run to cut the deficit down to two. A 14-pitch at-bat from Knapczyk would load the bases with the tying run in scoring position before a hard lineout would end the ballgame.

Lynchburg and Down East will battle again on Saturday night at Bank of the James Stadium at 6:30 p.m.