Pelicans Drop Series Finale to Woodpeckers 8-2
By Sam Weiderhaft The Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell in the final game of the series to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers 8-2 on Sunday evening. With the loss, the Pelicans' record stands at 32-43 and 3-6 in the second half while the Woodpeckers won the series and improved to 34-41 and 5-4
By Sam Weiderhaft
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell in the final game of the series to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers 8-2 on Sunday evening. With the loss, the Pelicans' record stands at 32-43 and 3-6 in the second half while the Woodpeckers won the series and improved to 34-41 and 5-4 in the second half.
Myrtle Beach collected just four hits as Carter Trice (2-3, HR, RBI, BB) reached base three times. Chris Paciolla (1-4, 2B) added a double in the loss.
After allowing two earned runs in his two innings, Will Frisch (0-2) took the loss with two hits and two walks while striking out two. Kenten Egbert followed with four innings and three runs and two earned allowed.
The Woodpeckers turned nine hits into eight runs as Xavier Casserilla (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) led the lineup with a pair of hits and two RBI. Will Bush (1-4, 2 RBI) knocked in two with a single in the ninth.
Sandy Mejia (4-4) was stellar out of the bullpen with five shutout innings and just one hit allowed with six strikeouts to take the win. Starter Engel Peralte allowed the two earned runs but struck out seven in 3 2/3 frames.
For the fourth time in this series, the Woodpeckers scored in the first. With two runners on, Casserilla lined a double to left to bring in the first run.
The Pelicans responded in the bottom of the second as Alfonsin Rosario scored on a wild pitch to even the score 1-1.
Fayetteville scored in the next three innings to take the lead for good. Casserilla grounded out with a runner on third in the third inning to bring a run home.
Two runs scored in the fourth for the Woodpeckers on RBI singles by Alberto Hernandez and Yamal Encarnacion to extend the lead to 4-1.
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Trice launched his fourth home run of the season to left-center field to make it a two-run game.
Another run came home in the fifth as Juan Santander grounded into a double play with nobody out and the bases loaded as the runner at third came in.
Fayetteville added another run in the eighth off a wild pitch by Sam Thoresen.
Bush hit a two-run single in the top of the ninth to finish off the scoring for the Woodpeckers.
The Pelicans will stay in Myrtle Beach for a three-game set in the Red, White and Blue Series against the Charleston RiverDogs starting Monday at 7:05 p.m.