Renegades fall 5-1 in SAL Championship Series opener

Bowling Green, Ky. (Sept. 15, 2024) — The Hudson Valley Renegades fell to the Bowling Green Hot Rods 5-1 in Game 1 of the South Atlantic League Championship Series on Sunday afternoon at Bowling Green Ballpark. The Renegades trail the Hot Rods 1-0 in the best-of-three series.

Roc Riggio started the game with a bang, cracking a leadoff solo home run off Brody Hopkins to put the Renegades in front 1-0. The Renegades second baseman is 6-for-16 at the plate this postseason.

In the bottom of the first Bowling Green answered against Baron Stuart when Colton Ledbetter walked, stole second, and scored on a Mac Horvath double to tie the game.

Horvath touched up Stuart (0-1) for a solo home run in the bottom of the third to give the Hot Rods a 2-1 lead. The right-hander finished his day after 2.1 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out four, exiting after being struck on the hand by a comeback line drive from Noah Myers.

Bowling Green extended its lead to 4-1 in the fifth when Horvath tripled before Aidan Smith hit a pinch-hit two-run homer off Joel Valdez. They tacked on another in the seventh off Yorlin Calderon when Kamren James reached on a fielder’s choice in and came home on a Hunter Haas RBI double to make it 5-1.

Hudson Valley was held without a hit the rest of the way after Riggio’s leadoff homer, and had just five total baserunners in the game. It was the first time that the Renegades had been limited to one hit in a nine-inning game in 2024.

Despite allowing just 11 total hits across three games of the North Division Series, the Renegades pitching staff allowed 16 hits to Bowling Green in Game 1 of the Championship Series. Four Hot Rods batters recorded three hits.

The Renegades will look to keep their season alive in a must-win Game 2 of the South Atlantic Championship Series on Tuesday at Heritage Financial Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with the Heritage Financial Credit Union Pregame Show beginning at 6:15 on the Renegades Baseball Network. RHP Josh Grosz (4-2, 2.77) takes the mound for Hudson Valley, while RHP Chandler Murphy (3-1, 2.44) gets the start for Bowling Green. For tickets and more information, visit www.hvrenegades.com/tickets