Kernels take a 1-0 lead in HACL Championship Series on Camargo home run
Box score > CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Cedar Rapids Kernels defeated the Quad Cities River Bandits in Game 1 of the HACL championship series on Tuesday evening, 2-1. The Kernels take a 1-0 lead in the best of five series. The River Bandits scored first in the top of
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Cedar Rapids Kernels defeated the Quad Cities River Bandits in Game 1 of the HACL championship series on Tuesday evening, 2-1. The Kernels take a 1-0 lead in the best of five series.
The River Bandits scored first in the top of the second inning on an RBI single from Eric Cole, scoring Nathan Eaton to make it 1-0.
The Kernels responded in the bottom of the second with some two-out hitting. Jair Camargo hit a double to right field, then the next batter, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., hit a double to left-center, scoring Camargo and tying the game 1-1.
Kernels' starting pitcher Louie Varland didn't surrender a run after the second inning and went seven innings overall, giving up just six hits and striking out four batters.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the eighth when Camargo hit a fly ball to right field that just cleared the wall for a solo home run, giving the Kernels a 2-1 lead.
Zach Featherstone came out for the ninth inning and got all three outs on strikeouts for the save.
Game 2 of the series is back at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.