Tobs top Marlins 3-1 in season debut

With more Barton College players than any other institution on the opening roster for the Wilson Tobs, the summer collegiate team relied heavily on some of those Bulldogs in a 3-1 season-opening win over the Morehead City Marlins on Thursday night at Fleming Stadium.

Five of the six Barton players saw action, including starting pitcher Tanner Halvorson, who played for the Tobs of the Coastal Plain League two summers ago. Halvorson gave up one run on three hits in four innings but didn’t factor into the decision. However, relievers Jonah Milchuk and Brett Anderson combined for three shutout innings with Anderson striking out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for the save over the Tobs’ East Division rivals.

Catcher Chase Waddell of Barton had two of Wilson’s seven hits and third baseman Jared Beebe, also a Bulldog, singled.

It wasn’t all Barton guys, however. First baseman Cole Robinson of Missouri Baptist was 3 for 4 with a home run, while Florida State-Jacksonville’s Ethan Wilford, who pitched for the Tobs last summer, got the win on the mound with two shutout innings. He allowed a hit and struck out three without walking anyone.

The Tobs presented first-year head coach Noah Cartwright a victory in his debut.

“It was just a great ballgame,” Cartwright said. “All our pitchers did what they’re supposed to do and executed perfectly like we wanted them to do when we mapped it out before the game. And then the Barton guys really showed out and Robinson had a big game with three hits and a home run. Michak with the big double in that big inning to score all those Barton guys who got on. But I think overall it was just a solid game, just a textbook, good game.”

The Marlins touched Halvorson for a run in the top of the second inning at Fleming when Nick Serce roped a lead-off double. Halvorson retired the next two batters before Morehead City catcher Chayton Beck chopped a two-strike pitch for an RBI single.

Wilson answered in the bottom of the inning against Morehead City starter Ryan Bailey, starting with Waddell’s one-out double. After a walk to designated hitter Luke Bauer, Beebe singled to load the bases for Michak. The center fielder from NCAA Division III Marywood Universitym in Pennsylvania laced a two-run double to give Wilson the lead for keeps.

Robinson slugged a solo homer for Wilson in the seventh inning.

The Tobs hit the road Friday to play the Peninsula Pilots in Hampton, Virginia, before heading to South Carolina on Saturday to face former East Division rivals, the Florence Flamingos, now in the West Division.

“From what I’ve heard, it’ll be a nice little test early on for the guys, so I’m looking forward to it,” Cartwright said of the trip to Peninsula. “Like I said, I saw last night how well our guys handle being with their backs against the wall a little bit, being down early in the game, and they just said, ‘No, we’re gonna come right back.’

“So we’ll see. I don’t think they’re gonna be fazed too much more. I think they love it. They embrace anything that comes their way and they’re all great ballplayers.”

Score by innings:

Marlins 010 000 000 — 1

Tobs 020 000 10x — 3

W-Ethan Williford 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO. L-Ryan Bailey 4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO. S-Brett Anderson 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO.

LEADING HITTERS — Morehead City: C Beck 1-3, RBI; Nick Serce 1-2, 2B, R. Wilson: Cole Robinson 3-4, RBI; Chase Waddell 2-4, 2B, R; Christian Michak 1-2, 2B, 2 RBIs.

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