The New Bern Southpaws jumped ahead on the first pitch of Friday's game against the River City Skippers at Knobbs Creek Park and never looked back, winning the Old North State League contest 7-2.
Southpaws' leadoff hitter Oliver Zohn homered to centerfield on Skippers' starting pitcher Andrew Copeland's first delivery to the plate. The Southpaws got their second score on two infield errors and a sacrifice fly to right field.
River City recovered with a run in the bottom half of the first inning. With one out, Ivan Santos lined a base hit over the head of the leaping second baseman. A wild pitch, and a steal of third would move the Skippers shortstop to third. Doyle McNew walked and then stole second. Santos raced home on the back end of the double steal. With two out, Kamron Morris walked, but New Bern starting pitcher Branson McCloud then got his third strikeout of the inning to end the rally.
The Southpaws increased their lead to 4-1 with another long ball in the second inning. With one out and one on base, New Bern centerfielder Ryan Ulisse connected, sending a line drive over the fence in centerfield. There was a breeze blowing out all night, and the outfielders on both teams were busy.
After the second inning, Copeland settled in. The right-hander, a senior at Mid-Atlantic Christian University, threw strikes and relied on his defense. He held the Southpaws scoreless for the next three innings, helped by the play of centerfielder Anders Brown. The senior at Maryland Eastern Shore recorded five putouts through the first five innings, while right fielder Morris was also busy, running down four fly balls, including a fine running catch that ended a two-on, two-out threat in the top of the fifth.
The Skippers' bats were mostly quiet against the lefty McCloud, who threw his fastball consistently in the 88-89 mph range. It wasn't just the speed, but the movement on the ball that was deceptive.
A sophomore at Marshall University, McCloud would record 11 strikeouts in six full innings of work. The only other run he allowed was a two-out blast over the fence in left-center by Jaden Greenidge in the bottom of the sixth inning. It was a no-doubter that left the field in a hurry.
Copeland was relieved after walking the first batter in the top of the sixth. New Bern would score their final three runs that inning on two hits, three walks, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Parker Byrd who was the designated hitter for the visitors.
Byrd, who lost part of his right leg in a 2022 boating accident, runs very well with his curved blade special prosthetic device. His challenge comes with the change of direction, stopping and starting, an overall balance. In five plate appearances, the East Carolina University player had one hit, a walk, and the run batted in.
While the Skippers put runners on base in the last three innings, they could not get the hits in the clutch to make the game any closer.
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