GreenJackets Return Back to .500
In Front of a Sold Out Crowd the GreenJackets Fall to the Crawdads
AUGUSTA, GA: With the every single seat of Lake Omlstead Stadium filled with fans the Augusta GreenJackets (17-17) squared off against the Hickory Crawdads (25-9) Saturday night. Nick Gonzalez (1-2 ERA 5.67) started on the mound for the GreenJackets and Pitcher Brett Martin (3-0 ERA 2.01) followed right along for an very strong pitching performance. The GreenJackets weren't able to feed off of a sold out Lake Olmstead Stadium crowd's energy to claim tonight's victory. Saturday night's contest ended with a final score of five to zero in favor of the visiting Crawdads.
The Hickory Crawdads struck first in Saturday's night game in the first inning. Jose Cardona scored with two outs from third base when GreenJackets shortstop Jeremy Sy committed a throwing error while attempting to record the final out of the inning at first base.
After the first inning, GreenJackets Pitcher Nick Gonzalez settled in on the mound. In the second, third, and fourth innings Gonzalez faced nine batters and retired nine batters. It was not until the top of the fifth inning when Travis Demeritte lead of the inning by being hit by a Gonzalez pitch that a Crawdad runner would return back to the base paths. The Crawdads took advantage of having a runner on first base fairly quickly. The very next batter, Tripp Martin homered (Tripp's 7th HR) to left field to increase the Crawdads lead to three runs.
As Nick Gonzalez tried his best to keep the Crawdad batters at bay, Crawdad's pitcher Brett Martin was having a special pitching night of his own. Martin started off the game by retiring the first twelve GreenJackets batters on the night. The GreenJackets first hit did not come until the bottom of the fifth inning off the bat of catcher Armais Garcia. Martin would go on to pitch seven scoreless innings and only allowing two hits.
With Nick Gonzalez still pitching, the Crawdads tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth inning. A solo shot from Michael De Leon and a fielders choice allowed Luke Tendler to score. Gonzalez would leave the game in top of the sixth inning having pitched five full innings, allowing three earned runs, and striking out three. The Crawdads five to zero lead was more than enough to secure the victory. Saturday night's final line reads zero runs, four hits, and three errors for the Augusta GreenJackets and five runs, five hits, and zero errors for the Hickory Crawdads. Nick Gonzalez will take the loss on the night and Brian Martin improves to three and zero on the season.
Sunday afternoon's probable pitching match up will be a battle between two very strong pitchers. The GreenJackets will send Jose Reyes (2-0 ERA 0.32) to the mound and the Crawdads will counter with Colin Wiles (3-1 ERA 0.95). Game time is set for 2:05pm and the gates of Lake Olmstead Stadium will be open to our guests at 1:00pm.
The fourth and finale game of the third homestand of the 2015th season ends on a Sunday afternoon. Every Sunday is a Junior 'Jackets Kids Club Day! Kids twelve and under who sign up to be a member of the Junior 'Jackets club prior to Sunday's May 17th game against the Hickory Crawdads will receive FREE entry into Lake Olmstead Stadium. Junior 'Jacket members will be able to participate in catch on the field prior to the game and post-game Kids Run the Bases. Other Junior 'Jackets activities include high five tunnel, first pitch kid, play ball kid, and plenty more. Sign your child up today at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com/juniorjackets.
- GreenJackets -