WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY- Renegades leftfielder Michael Smith went 3-4 with a triple and three RBI, and starting pitcher Blake Pflughaupt fired five innings of one-run ball as Hudson Valley defeated Connecticut Sunday evening at Dutchess Stadium 7-1 in a game that was stopped in the bottom of the seventh due
WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY- Renegades leftfielder Michael Smith went 3-4 with a triple and three RBI, and starting pitcher Blake Pflughaupt fired five innings of one-run ball as Hudson Valley defeated Connecticut Sunday evening at Dutchess Stadium 7-1 in a game that was stopped in the bottom of the seventh due to impending rain.
The Renegades jumped on Connecticut starter Carlos Guzman in the third. A single and walk started the frame before Smith roped a triple to right-centerfield to score both runners. Smith scored two batters later when shortstop Ford Proctor lifted a sacrifice fly to center to give the Renegades a 3-0 lead.
Connecticut had a chance to get back into the game by loading the bases with one away in the fourth. However, Pflughaupt got a 6-4-3 double play ball from leftfielder Dayton Dugas to allow Hudson Valley to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Tigers finally got on the board in the fifth. First baseman Ryan Karstetter led off the inning with a single, then came into score when the next hitter, designated hitter Teddy Hoffman drilled a double to left-centerfield to pull Connecticut to within two. However, Hoffman was thrown out on the play as he tried to stretch the hit into a triple. Two batters later, Pflughaupt induced another double play ball to end the inning.
That would be as close as the Tigers would get however, as the Renegades put the game away with a four-run sixth inning. With one out, third baseman Adrian Rondon destroyed a two-run homerun over the leftfield wall for his first dinger of the year. Later in the inning a walk, single and hit batsmen loaded the bases with one-out before rightfielder Bryce Brown lifted a sacrifice fly to right and leftfielder Michael Smith lined an RBI single to left to make the score 7-1.
Hudson Valley had eight hits compared to Connecticut's seven with Smith the only player to record more than one base knock.
Pflughaupt (1-0) was solid in getting the win for Hudson Valley as he allowed one earned run on six hits over five innings with six strikeouts. The loss fell to Tigers starter Carlos Guzman (0-1) who allowed three runs on three hits over four frames. Reliever Kyle Goodbrand went the final two innings for the Renegades for his first save of the season while recording four strikeouts.
The Renegades continue their three-game series with the Connecticut Tigers tomorrow with first-pitch slated for 7:05. Right-hander Easton McGee (1-0, 4.50 ERA) will make his Dutchess Stadium debut for Hudson Valley against fellow righty Carson Lance (1-0, 2.70 ERA) for the Tigers. Tickets can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.
