by James Stanley, Wilson Tobs Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting
MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. – The Wilson Tobs (13-14, 3-4) dropped both games of a twin-bill on Friday night against the Morehead City Marlins (21-10, 7-2) at Big Rock Stadium.
Game 1
Wilson struck the first blow in game one to take a 2-0 lead on a two-out two-run Drew DeVine (Western Michigan) dinger in the 1st inning. The homerun was the first of the season allowed by Morehead City starting pitcher Ty Bothwell (Indiana).
The bottom of the 3rd saw the start of a see-saw battle for the lead between Morehead City and Wilson. The Marlins took their first lead of the night by putting up four runs on Tobs starter Cam Prayer (Houston) on two two-run homeruns struck by Jack Harris (Newberry College) and Zack Miller (Catawba College) to go up 4-2.
The Tobs responded with three runs in the top of the 4th to regain the lead. Griffin Everitt (Nebraska) made it 5-4 Wilson when he blasted a three-run shot to right field.
In the bottom of the 4th, the Marlins drove in three runs on three hits to go back in front of the Tobs, 7-5, on RBI singles by Phillip Glasser (Youngstown State) and Hunter Shepherd (Catawba College).
Wilson knotted the game 7-7 in their half of the 5th by tabbing two runs on three hits. DeVine hit a leadoff double in the frame and scored on an RBI double off the bat of Riley Jepson (UT-Tyler) to get the Tobs within one run of tying. Tommy Gibson (Shepherd) then tied the game by plating Jepson on an RBI base hit into centerfield.
Morehead City third baseman Jordan Johnson (Arkansas-Monticello) went yard with a two-run blast off Wilson reliever Jon Beymer (Campbell) in the bottom of the 5th to once again give the Marlins a two-run advantage – this time 9-7.
DeVine answered Johnson’s two-run homerun by hitting another two-run homer to tie the game 9-9 in the top half of the 6th.
Beymer labored in the bottom of the 6th inning and surrendered the lead by allowing two runs to put the Marlins up 11-9. With two outs and the bases loaded, Beymer walked in a run with Gibson Krzeminiski (Canisius College) at the plate and followed by throwing wild pitch that scored Dominick Bucko (Youngstown State) for the second Morehead City run of the frame.
With two outs in the 7th, Gibson hit his first Coastal Plain League homerun of the season to get the Tobs within one run of tying the game. But Morehead City closer Ryder Yakel (Harding) got Brainy Rojas (East Stroudsburg) to pop out in first base foul territory for the final out. The Marlins took game one 11-10.
The game one win went to Yakel on his 1.1 innings of relief work allowing one run on one hit.
Beymer took the loss after surrendering four runs on three hits and six walks in 1.2 innings pitched.
Prayer pitched 3.1 innings in his final start for the Tobs. He allowed seven runs on eight hits while striking out seven Marlins.
Bothwell’s start ended after allowing five runs on five hits in 3.0 innings.
DeVine finished game one 3-4 with a double, two homeruns, four RBIs and three runs scored.
Gibson went 2-3 in the first game with a homerun, two RBIs and a run scored while drawing a base on balls.
Game 2
In game two, Braxton Bragg (Nebraska) and Cam Seguin (UMass-Lowell) dueled scoreless starts through the first two frames on eight combined strikeouts.
Tobs third baseman Dylan Scaranda (Barton College) drew first blood by homering off Seguin in the 3rd inning to give Wilson a 1-0 lead.
After Scaranda committed two errors in the bottom of the 3rd, Conner VanCleave (kU) made the Tobs pay for the mistakes by smacking a two-out RBI double that tied the game 1-1.
In the 4th, Marlins catcher Robbie O’Neal (UNC-Greensboro) doubled in Johnson to give Morehead City a 2-1 advantage.
In the top of the 5th, Logan Eickhoff (Eastern Illinois) scored on a wild pitch to pull the Tobs even the Marlins 2-2.
In the bottom of the 5th, Tobs reliever Carlos Rey (Nova Southeastern) put two runners on with back-to-back two-out walks. He then gave up the lead when Johnson plated both runners on a triple giving Morehead City its first lead in game two, 4-2.
VanCleave increased the Marlins lead to 5-2 by adding an insurance run on a two-out RBI single that scored Jack Casbarro (Mount Olive) in the 6th.
Morehead City reliever Joe Barberio (Canisius College) shut down Wilson in the 7th on a pair of strikeouts to secure the 5-2 victory in game two. He earned the win throwing 2.2 perfect relief innings against the Tobs on three strikeouts.
Rey gave up two runs on one hit and three walks in 1.2 innings of relief work on way to taking the loss.
Seguin’s start ended after allowing one run on one hit and four walks in 3.2 innings pitched.
Bragg completed his third start for the Tobs in 3.1 innings pitched. He gave up two runs, one unearned, on four hits while striking out five batters.
The Tobs return to Historic Fleming Stadium on Sunday, June 11 to start the week with back-to-back home games. The Tobs take the field against the Carolina Pirates on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. ET during Bark in the Park presented by Coastal Posh Boutique. Bring your dog to the ballpark for free treats and donations for the Wilson Humane Society. Be sure to take advantage of all the deals on Cash Saver Sunday sponsored by State Farm Jana Lake: $1 T.L. Herring hotdogs, $2 nachos and $2 snocones. Fans that buy all three can win Tobs and cash prizes! Gates open at 5. Fans can stream the game on FloBaseball.TV or watch locally for free on Greenlight Channels 2 or 900-HD.
When the Tobs hit the road, listen to free radio coverage on Mixlr by clicking here.
The Wilson Tobs enter their 25th season as a founding member of the Coastal Plain League. The upcoming season for the Tobs will see community outreach, increased participation in helping the less fortunate, a Pettit Cup Championship team, and more exciting entertainment than ever before. We would like to dedicate each successful season to the Wilson Community, Coastal Plain League Organization, Host Families, Corporate Partners, and the Dedicated Fans.
The Wilson Tobs have played host to over 100 alumni taken in the draft and have produced a dozen players who have gone on to play in the MLB, including Cy Young MVP winner Justin Verlander. For more information on the Wilson Tobs, visit our website www.WilsonTobs.com.