Sloppy First Inning Stifles Howlers

The Fredericksburg Nationals used a big first inning to down the Hill City Howlers on Thursday night, 8-3.

Luke Dickerson led the way for the Nationals with a three-hit, two-double performance. Jervis Alfaro added another seven strikeouts to bring his season total to 16 through two games.

The game unraveled in the first inning as the Nationals tacked four on the board courtesy of a pair of errors on the Howlers. Two more were added on in the second as Coy James broke out of his slump to push the needle to 6-0.

Luke Dickerson doubled in the top of the fourth inning to extend the lead even further. James followed with another RBI single, giving him three-RBIs on the night. The eight-run lead would prove to be more than the Nationals needed.

Jose Pirela put the Howlers on the board in the fifth with a solo home run to right center field for his first of the year.

In the seventh, Hill City loaded the bases with no one out, threatening to strike for a big inning. Luis De La Cruz drove home a run with a single to left before a walk to Yerlin Luis cut the deficit to five. That would be as close as the game would get as three straight strikeouts ended the inning to leave the bases loaded.

The Howlers picked up a pair of base runners in the ninth, but never got any closer, as they dropped to 3-3 on the year.

Hill City and Fredericksburg will square off again on Friday evening at City Stadium with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch. Tickets can be purchased at hchowlers.com.