Steady Offense Leads 'Dads to 10-1 Win

Hickory, NC - The Hickory Crawdads offense continued their recent resurgence with another big night on Saturday, as the 'Dads scored double digit runs for the second straight game in a 10-1 rout over the Greensboro Grasshoppers in front of 2,603 fans at L.P. Frans Stadium.

The Hickory hitters were relentless in the one-sided contest, scoring a run in every inning except the sixth and with eight of the nine batters reaching base at least once. The Crawdads put up two runs in the 1^st, one in the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th, two more tallies in the 5^th and 7^th, and one last mark in the 8^th.

Not to be overlooked, the Crawdads pitching staff of Frank Lopez, Tyler Smith and Abel De Los Santos held the dangerous Greensboro lineup to only one run on seven singles while striking out 12.

The offensive assault began with two runs in the first, with Ronald Guzman driving in one with a single to right before Lewis Brinson also plated a run with an RBI groundout for a 2-0 Hickory advantage. The lead grew to 5-0 after the 'Dads scored single runs in the second, third, and fourth. Travis Demeritte singled and scored in the second, Nick Vickerson walked, stole a base, and scored in the third, and Demeritte walked and scored again in the fourth on an RBI infield single by Evan Van Hoosier.

The Crawdads made it 7-0 with two more runs in the 5^th, with Brinson and Kellin Deglan each picking up and RBI.

Following a scoreless 6^th, Deglan drove in a pair with a 2-RBI triple in the 7^th, while a bases loaded, RBI walk by Guzman scored the final run in the 8^th for the Crawdads 10-1 win.

The only run of the night for Greensboro came in the top of the 8^th, when the Grasshoppers squeaked across an unearned tally on an error and an infield single.

Van Hoosier (2-4, 2B, RBI, R, BB) and Mazara (2-4, 2B, R, BB) led the Hickory offense with multi-hit nights, while Deglan finished 1-3 with a triple and three total RBIs.

Lopez (2-1) earned the win for the Crawdads after throwing five shutout innings with six strikeouts, while allowing only three singles and two walks. Lopez has now pitched 13-straight scoreless innings, dating back to his start on April 13^th against Asheville. Greensboro starter Jarlin Garcia (2-1) took the loss with seven runs allowed, four earned, on seven hits over 4.1 IP.

The win marks the first time this season the Crawdads (11-11) have won consecutive games at home, while also lifting the 'Dads season record against the Grasshoppers (11-11) to 5-2. Hickory will go for the series win on Sunday in the fourth and final game, with first pitch scheduled for 5:00 pm.

 

###