FredNats play complementary baseball to pummel Lynchburg

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - The Fredericksburg Nationals (14-13) paired a season-high 13 hits and 10 runs on offense with their third pitching shutout of the year to dominate the Lynchburg Hillcats (16-12) and win the series opener 10-0. The win snapped the FredNats’ four-game losing streak and pushed them back above .500.

To begin the game, lefty Jake Bennett made his much-anticipated return to Fredericksburg in his second rehab start of the season. Bennett, who started on Opening Day for the FredNats in 2023, had Tommy John surgery late that year and missed all of 2024 as well. In his first start back in Fredericksburg since 2023, he pitched another three strong innings of rehab. He faced the minimum across his three dominant, scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three.

In support of Bennett, the FredNat offense pounced early. Cristhian Vaquero slapped a single and, after a Kevin Made RBI double, the FredNats had a 1-0 lead seven pitches into the game. Then, in the third inning, Made and Jackson Ross started the frame with base hits and scored when Kevin Bazzell’s pop-up dropped in right field beneath the sun for a 3-0 lead after three. The FredNats scored again in the fourth for a 4-0 advantage.

Gavin Bruni and Ryan Minckler continued Bennett’s hard work with four combined scoreless innings without allowing a hit. They watched on as the offense again sprang in the sixth inning, posting a four-spot to extend the lead to 8-0. Made added another hit, knocking in two more runs. He’d finish the day 3/4 with a walk and three more RBI. With Made aboard again, Jorgelys Mota hit a laser-show home run down the left field line that left the yard in a hurry to punctuate a five-hit inning.

The FredNats tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning and saw Robert Cranz and Merrick Baldo hold on to the shutout, as the FredNats allowed just four hits on the mound.

Bruni (2-0) got the win, saddling Schlesinger (1-1) with the loss. In game two Wednesday, the FredNats hand the ball back to Bryan Polanco (1-2, 3.86) in an Education Day 11:05 a.m. start.