10th Inning Grand Slam Sinks 'Cats, 9-7
Lynchburg scored two runs in the top of the 10th to take a 7-5 lead in extras, but Shane Hoelscher hit a grand slam in the home half to give Frederick a 9-7 victory at Nymeo Field Saturday night.
Lynchburg scored two runs in the top of the 10th to take a 7-5 lead in extras, but Shane Hoelscher hit a grand slam in the home half to give Frederick a 9-7 victory at Nymeo Field Saturday night.
In a back-and-forth contest that saw four lead changes over the course of the game, the Hillcats trailed 5-3 following a Yermin Mercedes three-run homer in the sixth inning. Lynchburg rallied back with a pair of home runs. With one out in the seventh, Ka'ai Tom hit his eighth home run of the year over the right field fence to cut it to 5-4. Martin Cervenka led off the eighth inning with a home run to tie it at 5-all and force extra innings.
In the 10th, Sicnarf Loopstok drew a leadoff walk and scored one batter later on a Cervenka double. Connor Marabell singled to drive inCervenka and make it 7-5. However, it was not enough. Frederick loaded the bases with nobody out on a single and a pair of walks. Hoelschersent a ball beyond the left field fence to end the game, 9-7.
Lynchburg initially held a 3-0 advantage. With two outs and the bases clear in the third, Willi Castro singled, and Loopstok doubled for his team-leading 40th RBI of the season. The HIllcats plated two more in the fourth. Marabell singled, and Claudio Bautista produced an RBI double. He scored on a base hit by
Argenis Angulo (3-2) took the loss, while Karl Triana (2-0) earned the win. Jordan Milbrath had two scoreless innings of middle relief for the Hillcats.
Lynchburg plays Frederick again Sunday at 6 p.m. Shane Bieber (4-1, 3.14) will start for the Hillcats against lefty Keegan Akin (6-5, 3.76). The game can be heard live at www.lynchburg-hillcats.com with pre-game coverage beginning at 5:50 p.m.