Watch out Old North State League. The Edenton Steamers are hot and on a mission.
Edenton won its ninth straight game Tuesday night as the Clams continued their dominance of rival River City with a 13-1 victory over the Skippers at Knobbs Creek Park.
The Steamers are putting it all together with strong pitching, clutch hitting and tight defense as they try to hold off New Bern and win the second half in the league’s Northeastern Division.
On this night the game was tight for three innings. Skippers’ starting pitcher Jordan Winslow benefited from a brilliant defensive play in the opening inning. With two outs, Edenton had runners on first and second. Steamers’ right fielder Jake Absher lined a single to centerfield. Anders Bown charged the ball and made a perfect throw to catcher Doyle McNew who tagged the runner for the third out.
The Skippers had a strong opportunity in their half of the first but could not get the clutch hit off Steamers starting pitcher Colin Langley. With one out, Ryan Bibb walked and McNew doubled down the right field line. But then the righthander from Mid Atlantic Christian got a strikeout and a routine fly to escape the jam.
It looked even better for River City when they loaded the bases with no one out in the third inning. Josh Holland and Carter Stevenson singled and then Brown executed a perfect drop bunt up the third base line. It looked like the Skippers were poised for a big inning but all they got was one run on a sacrifice fly from Ivan Santos.
Still, the home team led 1-0 going into the fourth inning when the bottom fell out.
Two walks were sandwiched around an Aaron Maxie double to load the bases. Ben Bausas singled in the first Steamer run to tie the score. With the bases still loaded, T.J. Norvell relieved Winslow. He got the first out on a run scoring sacrifice fly, but an overthrow enabled the runners to move up. Jackson Ellyson then delivered a sharp single to center to bring in the third run of the inning. That was followed by a squeeze bunt to plate another run although the second out was retired at first.
Caden Rector kept the parade going for the Clams with a solid single to center. Sam Stowe followed with a long double that bounced over the centerfield fence. A booted infield grounder was followed by two walks and another base hit as Edenton would send 14 batters to the plate and score eight runs. River City pitcher Darryl Hustand, who relieved Norvell, would get the final out, but the damage was done.
With a comfortable lead, Langley allowed baserunners but made good pitches when needed and allowed no further runs for the Skippers. He was followed by Hank Downum who pitched the fifth and sixth innings. Brandon Pettrey then retired River City in the seventh inning to close out the game.
On the positive side for the Skippers, Hustand threw hard and effectively. He retired the Steamers in order in the fifth inning with two strikeouts. He would have had a scoreless sixth but for two costly errors that produced two unearned runs for Edenton.
The Steamers banged out 13 hits against four Skipper pitchers. Ben Bausas collected three safeties while Brady Williams, Stowe, and Maxie had two apiece. The Skippers get one final chance to take a bite out of the Clams when they play Saturday night at Edenton’s Historic Hicks Field.
Most Popular
Comments / 0