Bowling Green Wins Back-And-Forth Tilt, 9-7 

Bowling Green, K.Y. – The Drive held a 5-1 lead in the second inning but four Bowling Green homers tilted the contest in their favor while a seventh inning rally behind a two-run homer by Tyler Dearden wasn’t enough as Greenville lost, 9-7, Tuesday night at Bowling Green Ballpark.

The teams combined for six homers, seven doubles and 21 hits.

The Drive tallied eight hits, two homers and two doubles. Stephen Scott, Cole Brannen and Dearden each knocked in two runs. Brannen also had a double and a run while Dearden’s clout was his 15th of the year to lead the team.

Scott’s first inning round-tripper was his fourth-straight game with a homer. It also extended his hitting streak to nine games, every game he has appeared in with the Drive.

Christian Koss and Jake MacKenzie both compiled multi-hit efforts.

Oddanier Mosqueda took the loss after surrendering two runs over his 2.0 innings of work. Starter Brian Van Belle lasted 4.1 innings and relented seven runs, six earned, on eight hits, one walk and four homers. The seven runs allowed tied a career high.

Ezequiel Zabaleta picked up the win. The reliever tossed 2.0 shutout innings and gave up one hit with a strikeout.

The Drive quickly got the scoring going in the first inning. Koss led off the game with a groundball single to center field. The next batter, Scott, then hammered a 2-1 pitch over the right-center field wall for a two-run homer.

Bowling Green cut the deficit in their half of the first behind a Grant Witherspoon sac fly.

However, the Drive extended their lead to 5-1 in the second frame. Jaxx Groshans drew a leadoff walk and got to third on a Dom D’Alessandro double. Brannen followed and ripped a two-run double to right. After a mound visit, MacKenzie singled home the third run of the inning.

Solo homers by Logan Driscoll and Connor Hollis in the second time at-bat by the Hot Rods made the score 5-3.

Two innings later, Bowling Green plated another run, this time on a fielding error. The score stood, 5-4.

Another pair of home runs for the Hot Rods in the fifth gave them a 7-5 lead. Brett Wisely hit a solo shot while Evan Edwards knocked a two-run dinger.

But the back-and-forth tilt continued when Greenville tied the game, 7-7, in the seventh inning. With two outs, Scott walked. After a wild pitch moved him to second, Dearden blasted a two-run homer, his 15th of the year.

Bowling Green scored the deciding runs in the eighth inning on an RBI single by Wisely and a RBI double by Curtis Mead.

Game two is set for 7:35 Wednesday at Bowling Green Ballpark. The Drive are slated to throw Jay Groome while the Hot Rods are scheduled to start Alan Strong.