RockHounds Rally to Win 2018 Season Opener
ROCKHOUNDS 6, SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS 5Thursday, April 5, 2018 Security Bank BallparkIf Thursday night's season opener was an omen, you'd be advised to "buckle up" for the 2018 Texas League campaign.The RockHounds scored twice in the last of the eighth, erasing a 5-4 deficit, and denied a Springfield ninth-inning threat that
ROCKHOUNDS 6, SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS 5
Thursday, April 5, 2018 Security Bank Ballpark
If Thursday night's season opener was an omen, you'd be advised to "buckle up" for the 2018 Texas League campaign.
The RockHounds scored twice in the last of the eighth, erasing a 5-4 deficit, and denied a Springfield ninth-inning threat that put the tying run at third base.
Spitz led off the ninth with a single and reached third with two out.
The 'Hounds scored twice in the first on RBI from Murphy and
Team R H E LOB
Springfield Cardinals 5 12 0 7
RockHounds 6 12 0 8
Win
Loss Jacob Evans (0-1, 27.00)
Save J.B. Wendelken (1, 0.00)
Home Runs
SPR: Andrew Knizner (1) Solo in the fourth, off
RCK: None
Notables
Sean Murphy's tremendous night included two plays that do not show up in the box score. He went from first-to-third on Brett Siddall's eighth-inning single, getting to third with one out before scoring on Mikey White's sac fly. Sean then made a tremendous block on a pitch in the dirt with the tying run at third in the top of the ninth, moments before J.B. Wendelken struck out Knizner to end the game.
Seven of the nine RockHounds starters either scored a run, drove in a run or both. The other two (Tyler Marincov in the first and J.P. Sportman in the eighth) had hits that directly led to runs scoring.
All five RockHounds starters who were playing in their first Double-A game contributed directly to the win: Seth Brown drove in the game's first run ...
Numbers
Four players opened the season with three-hit games:
Springfield's John Nogowski (3-for-4, 2 R, double, HR, 2 RBI) and
The RockHounds' Sean Murphy (3-for-4, 2 R, double, RBI) and Eli White (3-for-5, R, RBI).
Next Game
Friday, April 6 vs. Springfield Cardinals
Security Bank Ballpark 7:00 p.m. (Gates open at 6:00)
Second of a three-game series and six-game homestand
Replica Championship Rings & Schedule Magnets ... first 1,000 fans
Radio: NewsTalk 550 at 6:47 with Bob Hards
Probable Starters
SPR:
RCK: