Mud Hens battle hard but fall short in doubleheader showdown

In tonight's doubleheader at Fifth Third Field, the Mud Hens fought hard but fell just short against the Bats. The first game concluded with a 4-2 loss, and the second game ended in a tight 6-5 defeat.

Game One:

The Boots and Baseball doubleheader began at 5:35 PM tonight, with the Mud Hens facing off against the Bats. Despite the rain showers that greeted fans as they entered the stadium, the skies cleared in time for the first pitch.

In the bottom of the first inning, Dillon Dingler got things rolling with his eleventh double of the season, a sharp hit to left field. However, the Hens couldn't capitalize further in that inning. The excitement grew in the bottom of the second when Justice Bigbie launched his third home run of the season—a towering pop fly to left field, putting the first run on the board for the Mud Hens.

The Bats remained subdued, unable to make any noise against a solid Mud Hens defense in the top of the third, which was a swift 1-2-3 inning. Spencer Torkelson led off the bottom of the third with a crisp single to left field, but the Mud Hens were unable to push him across before the inning ended.

Matt Manning continued to showcase his prowess on the mound through the top of the fourth, sending the Bats back to their dugout quickly. In the bottom half, Bigbie kept his hot streak going with a sharp single to center. Riley Unroe followed up with a double down the right field line, but it ended in a double play, cutting short the scoring chance.=

The Mud Hens and Bats both exchanged another set of quick 1-2-3 innings, keeping the score tight. The Bats made a pitching change in the bottom of the fifth, and the Mud Hens mirrored them in the top of the sixth, with Mason Englert replacing Manning after five strong innings. Englert struck out two batters and induced a groundout to close the inning, but the Bats managed to tie the game with a run.

The top of the seventh was another shutdown inning for the Mud Hens, setting the stage for a potential walk-off. Unfortunately, Bigbie's flyout to right, Unroe's strikeout, and Drew Maggi's groundout, after pinch-hitting, sent the game into extra innings.

Devin Sweet took over pitching duties with Maggi staying in at third base. Sweet and the defense executed a thrilling double play off a pop fly to right, with a laser throw to third base to catch the runner off guard, ending the top of the ninth inning.

However, the most dramatic moment came in the bottom of the ninth when the Bats surged ahead with three runs. The Mud Hens had one last chance to rally but fell short despite their valiant efforts.

While they couldn’t pull out the win in this game, the Mud Hens demonstrated resilience and grit, setting their sights on redemption in the second game of the doubleheader.

Game Two:

After a thirty-minute break, the Mud Hens took to the field for the second game of the doubleheader, starting at 8:37 PM, determined to exact revenge. They set the tone early with a quick 1-2-3 inning, wrapping up the top of the first.

In the bottom of the first, Parker Meadows energized the crowd with a triple that nearly cleared the fence, bringing a big smile to the dugout. Ryan Vilade followed up with a sharp single to left field, allowing Meadows to score and give the Mud Hens an early lead.

The Bats responded with two triples of their own, scoring two runs to take the lead. The game slowed down, with minimal action through the third inning. In the top of the fourth, the Bats extended their lead, capitalizing on a couple of wild pitches to score more runs. However, the Mud Hens clawed back in the bottom half of the inning. Bligh Madris walked, Bigbie singled to center, and Unroe walked to load the bases. Stephen Scott, making his debut, delivered with a sacrifice fly to right field, narrowing the gap. Alvaro Gonzalez then ripped a triple off the left-field corner, driving in two more runs and tightening the score.

In the top of the fifth, Brenan Hanifee replaced Austin Schulfer, swiftly taking care of two outs with strikeouts and finishing the inning with a groundout at first. In the bottom half, Meadows walked, and Spencer Torkelson singled, advancing Meadows to third. Vilade grounded into a double play, but it allowed Meadows to score, making it a one-run game.

Hanifee continued his strong performance with two strikeouts in the top of the sixth, followed by a grounder from Unroe to Madris at first for the third out. Bigbie led off the bottom of the sixth with a single due to an error at third base. However, a bunt to first and a caught pop fly quickly added two outs. With Bigbie poised to score from second, Andrew Navigato made solid contact, but his hit was snagged by the shortstop and relayed to first, ending the inning.

The game remained tight going into the top of the seventh. Despite Meadows singling on a line drive to right field in the final inning, the Mud Hens couldn't muster enough to overcome the deficit, ultimately falling just short.

The Mud Hens look to bounce back against the Bats tomorrow night at Fifth Third Field, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM and a firework show after the game.

Notables:

Game One:

Bigbie (2-3, RBI, HR)

Manning (5.0 IP, 5K’s, 5.02 ERA)

Game Two:

Gonzalez (1-2, 2RBI)