Five-Run Seventh Powers Threshers to an Opening Day Win 

WP: Ryan Dromboski (1-0, 6.75 ERA)

LP: Bennett Flynn (0-1, 27.00 ERA)

DUNEDIN, FL – Carter Mathison led the way with a booming home run as part of a five-run momentum-shifting seventh inning, helping the Clearwater Threshers (1-0) to an 8-4 Opening Day win over the Dunedin Blue Jays (0-1) on Friday night at TD Ballpark. The Threshers look to claim the series win when they return to Dunedin on Saturday night.

Great starting pitching kept the game scoreless until the fourth inning, where a two-out single in the bottom of the frame gave Dunedin a 1-0 lead. A two-out home run in the bottom of the fifth doubled the Dunedin lead to 2-0.

It was still 2-0 Blue Jays when Joel Dragoo led off the top of the seventh with a walk. Brady Day singled him over to second before Mathison gave the Threshers their first lead of the game with a three-run homer.

After a one-out walk to Kehden Hettiger, the Threshers continued their rally, with Dante Nori moving Hettiger to third on a double. He scored on a two-run single by Aroon Escobar. The next batter, Eduardo Tait, ripped a double to right, scoring Escobar to cap off a six-run seventh that finished with the Threshers ahead 6-2.

Dunedin responded in the eighth with a two-run single. Sam Shaw tried to stretch it into a double but was thrown out by Tait, who came up to the pitcher's mound to make the cutoff throw and end the inning with Clearwater ahead 6-4.

Jay Schueler came on to pitch for Dunedin after a two-out hit by Kodey Shojinaga. Schueler walked the next three batters, including Nori with the bases loaded to bring home Shojinaga and get a run back. With the bases loaded and still two outs in the frame, reached on a single to score Hettiger. However, Nolan Beltran was caught trying to take the extra base and was thrown out at home to end the inning with an 8-4 Threshers advantage. A 1-2-3 ninth sealed the victory, as the Threshers came out on top 8-4 on Opening Day.

Sam Highfill allowed one run on four hits, walking one and striking out three in a no-decision. Jose Peña retired the only batter he faced to finish the fourth inning. Ryan Dromboski (1-0) earned the win in 4.0 innings of work, allowing three runs on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Titan Hayes finished the game with two strikeouts and retired all three batters he faced in the ninth.

Dragoo recorded the first hit and stolen base of the Threshers season...Highfill didn’t allow a baserunner in the first two innings...Dromboski earned his first career win in his first professional pitching appearance...Mathison’s home run was the first of his professional career...Every Threshers batter reached base at least once...The Threshers return to Dunedin to play the Blue Jays on Saturday, April 5...First pitch will be at 6:30 PM...You can purchase Threshers tickets for the upcoming season at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457…The Box Office at BayCare Ballpark is also open daily to purchase tickets…The hours are 10 AM-5 PM Monday through Friday and 10 AM-3 PM on Saturdays.