Woodies Quack the Hillcats

5/15/22 Game Recap

by: Jackson Pass

Woodies pitcher Winston Santos was called on to start the game and started off strong with two strikeouts to the first two batters in the top of the first, ending the inning with another strikeout on the last batter, after giving up two singles. Alejandro Osuna, the leadoff again for the Woodies, faced Hillcats starter, Franco Aleman, and hit a line drive single over the head of the second baseman. Cam Cauley recorded his first hit as a Wood Duck on a backside single, which moved Osuna to second. Two grounders resulting in fielder's choices moved Osuna around, where he scored for the first run of the game. A strikeout ended the inning, Woodies up 1-0.

Will Bartlett led off with a leadoff double that started the second, where he made it to third before the inning ended in another punch out for Santos. The Woodies offense exploded for six runs in the bottom of the seventh, batting around, ledoff by a triple by the speedy Daniel Mateo down the right field line. Mateo crossed the plate on a single from Ian Moller. An infield single by Ortiz and a bunt hit by Paniagua loaded the bases for Osuna. Osuna with a single, scored two, as Paniagua advanced to third on a fielding error with Osuna taking second on the error. Aleman struckout one, as Rodriguez brought Paniagua in with a single to right, Osuna to third. Maximo Acosta walked to load the bases. A hit by pitch to Mitchell brought another in, bases still juiced. Aleman was replaced with Yeury Gervacio after a 4-3 groundout from Mateo scored Rodriguez for the second out of the inning. Four straight balls reloaded the bases. A groundout to third ended the inning. The Woodies stretched the lead out to 7-0.

The Hillcats had no answer in the top half as Santos continued to shove. Junior Paniagua kept the hit tally going, singling on a blooper into right in the bottom of the third. Osuna then walked, which brought Cam Cauley up to bat, recording his second hit of the night, scoring Paniagua from second, extending the lead to 8-0. Two Woodies struckout for the first two outs, before a double steal allowed Osuna to third and Cauley to second. Tucker Mitchell crushed a three run homer, off the bat at 106 mph, extending the lead to 11-0.

Santos dealt through 5.0 innings, ending the night with his first win of the season, giving up four hits with eight K’s and only one walk. Woodies manager, Steve Mintz, brought in four different pitchers for four separate innings, one of those was Dylan MacLean, who went perfect against the three batters he faced for his first outing as a Wood Duck in the sixth. The Wood Ducks had a shutout going into the ninth, where the Hillcats put up two runs. The Woodies capped the day off in an 11-2 victory with fourteen hits.

The Wood Ducks (14-19) go on the road for their next game to face the Carolina Mudcats (16-16) in Zebulon next week, before returning home to face the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (12-20) on Tuesday, May 24th, as the first pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. in Kinston, NC at Grainger Stadium.

Fans can purchase tickets on woodducksbaseball.com, by calling the Wood Ducks Team Offices at (252) 686-5164 or in the Wood Ducks Team Offices located at Grainger Stadium (Mon-Fri – 9am - 4pm). Make sure to follow your Down East Wood Ducks on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook so you don’t miss anything!