Williams Walks Tourists Off in the Ninth

ASHEVILLE- The Asheville Tourists defeated the Rome Emperors 4-3 in walk off fashion Wednesday evening. Trailing 3-1, Jeron Williams cleared the bases in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run single combined with an Emperors throwing error. The three-run sequence sent McCormick Field into a frenzy.

Williams led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo Home Run to put Asheville on top 1-0. It was Jeron’s third Homer of the season. The Tourists relied on their pitching duo of James Hicks and Derek True to keep the Emperors’ offense in check.

Rome hit a solo Home Run in the third and a two-run shot in the sixth; however, the Asheville pitchers were fantastic. Hicks and True combined for 14 strikeouts and kept the Tourists within striking distance the entire way.

In the ninth, Cam Fisher and Anthony Sherwin were hit by pitches while Garret Guillemette walked. That loaded the bases ahead of Williams’ two-run single to centerfield. The winning run scored when Kevin Kilpatrick Jr.’s throw skipped past Rome’s third baseman and Sherwin raced to the plate during the scramble.

A double-header is scheduled between the two teams on Thursday evening. The twin bill gets underway at 5:05pm ET.