Look out Old North State League, the Clams are here!
After back-to-back championships in the Premier Collegiate League, the Edenton Steamers are off to an impressive start in their new affiliation. Saturday night at Historic Hicks Field, the Clams spotted the visiting River City Skippers a 2-run lead. However, that advantage only lasted until the Steamers came to bat. The home team would score runs in their first five innings and post a 13-3 victory over their new Old North State rivals from Elizabeth City.
The upstart Skippers, in only their second year of collegiate summer league play, came to make an impression against the experienced Edenton squad who have six returning players from last year’s team. In their first at bat, they did just that.
Ivan Santos began the game with a single up the middle off Edenton starting pitcher Nicky Wohleking who would struggle early with his control. The next hitter lashed a one-hopper to Steamer shortstop Kyle Waters who started a 6-4-3 double play, the first of two twin-kills the Steamer infield would turn on the evening.
The next River City batter, Anders Brown, earned a base on balls, bringing up cleanup hitter Doyle McNew. On a 2-1 pitch, the left-handed swinging first baseman hit a towering home run to right field that bounced off the scoreboard platform in right field giving his team the early 2-0 lead. Wohleking would walk the next two hitters, but a routine fly ball to centerfield ended the inning without further damage.
Skipper starting pitcher Jordan Winslow also had control problems. He hit leadoff batter Caden Rector and then walked Jackson Ellyson. With one out both runners moved into scoring position with a double steal. Edenton first baseman Sam Stowe then delivered a two-RBI line single to left field which tied the game.
Jace Eslinger then launched a long drive to the wall that was in the glove of the centerfielder but jarred loose for a double. Stowe would then score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brendan Burke.
The Steamers increased their lead with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Catcher Tyler Overaitis led off with an infield hit. After two outs, Ellyson worked a base on balls. Edenton shortstop Kyle Waters lined a ball into the left-center gap that was nearly caught but fell for a two-run double.
After another walk and a hit batter, River City changed pitchers. Tanner Simpson got the final out with a strikeout, but Edenton led 5-2 after two innings.
Wohleking retired the Skippers in order in the third frame and the Clams broke open the game with four runs in the home half of the inning. Jake Absher doubled down the left field line and stole third base. With one out, Aden Aukland continued the extra base hit parade with a line double to right center scoring Absher. Aukland would score on an infield error, and then two more runs would trot home on consecutive base hits by Ellyson and Waters.
The Steamers would make the score 10-2 in the fourth inning on a bases-loaded walk issued by River City’s third pitcher Jalen Greenidge. In the top half of the fifth, the visitors got one back off new Edenton hurler Hank Downum who also had trouble finding the strike zone.
Two walks would bring up slugger McNew with two outs. He delivered a line opposite field double to the wall in left field for his third RBI of the game. Downum then got a called strike three on the next hitter to close out the frame.
The score remained 10-3 until the bottom of the seventh. An infield error, a single, and a hit batter loaded the bases off of River City’s fourth pitcher Carson Prescott who had pitched a scoreless 6th inning. With two outs, Aukland lined a two-run single, and then Bryce Stephens would come home on a wild pitch to end the game on the 10-run rule.
Edenton recorded 11 base hits to just four safeties for River City. Added to that, the Steamers ran the bases aggressively with seven stolen bases. They had plenty of opportunities as River City pitchers issued six walks and hit five batters.
Most Popular
Comments / 0