Hillcats Sweep Doubleheader 

Salisbury, Maryland – Julian Escobedo homered in both games and the Lynchburg Hillcats (34-33) went up 3-0 in a seven game series against the Delmarva Shorebirds (39-28) in a two game set Wednesday night.

GAME ONE

• For the second night in a row the Hillcats got off to a hot start, this time against Delmarva starter Shane Davis (4-4). Christian Cairo earned a free pass with two outs, bringing Jhonkensy Noel to the plate. In just his second game back from injury Noel went yard for the second straight night to put Lynchburg up 2-0.
• Lynchburg added two more when Christian Cairo smacked a two-RBI single through the hole at shortstop, scoring Alexfri Planez and Miguel Jerez to make it 4-0 Hillcats.
• The Hillcats weren’t done there, to leadoff the top of the third Jhonkensy Noel crushed a home run 485-feet. Julian Escobedo followed up with a solo-shot of his own, the two sluggers becoming the first Hillcats to smash back-to-back home runs. The pair of bombs also put the Hillcats up 6-0 after just two and half innings of play.
• A two-run shot by Shorebirds’ Craig Lewis and an RBI double from Cristopher Cespedes cut the Lynchburg lead to three after four. Jean Carmona sliced the lead to two with a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth.
• Brauny Munoz (1-1) went five and two thirds for the ‘Cats, the longest outing of his career, allowing four runs off six hits. Cade Smith came to replace Munoz in the bottom of the sixth to get the final out of the frame, which he did quickly by forcing a Delmarva groundout.
• Lynchburg extended its lead to three in the top of the seventh on a Miguel Jerez sacrifice fly and Smith pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh to secure a 7-4 Hillcats victory.

GAME TWO

• The Hillcats scored first yet again in the top of the second when Julian Escobedo, who had singled to reach, advanced home on a throwing error committed by Delmarva starter Adam Stauffer.
• Lynchburg added another tally in the top of the fourth when a Ryne Ogren passed ball allowed Yainer Diaz to make it 2-0.
• Hillcats starter Liam Jenkins went for three and a third innings in his first start with the Hillcats this year. Despite the bases being loaded in the first and Delmarva putting two runners in scoring position in the second Jenkins never waivered, holding the Shorebirds scoreless in his time on the mound.
• In the fourth Hillcats reliever Zach Hart replaced Jenkins, finishing out the inning without allowing a Shorebirds run.
• However, after Hart walked three in a row in the fifth a two RBI single from Cristopher Cespedes tied the game up at two apiece.
• The Hillcats wasted no time responding in the top of the sixth. Angel Martinez flared a single to right and came home when Julian Escobedo mashed a homer over the right field wall. The bomb put Lynchburg right back up two.
• Hart silenced the Shorebirds in the sixth and seventh and the ‘Cats completed their first doubleheader sweep of the season with a 4-2 victory.

WHO'S NEXT

The Hillcats can win the series Thursday night in Salisbury. First pitch is set for 7:05pm.