Late Rally Falls Short, Pelicans Fall to Mudcats 4-3

By Sam Weiderhaft

After sacrificing four runs in the first, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell short in a 4-3 loss to the Carolina Mudcats on Saturday night. The game was delayed for over an hour due to weather. With the loss, the Birds stand at 18-25 while the Mudcats moved up to 26-16.

For the first time this season, Christian Olivo (2-4, HR, RBI) hit a home run with a solo homer in the fifth to put the Pelicans on the board. Jacob Wetzel (2-4, BB) and Chris Paciolla (2-4) each logged multi-hit games in the loss.

Starter Juan Bello (1-2) allowed all four earned runs in the first inning while giving up seven hits in his four-inning outing. Bello struck out five without walking anybody in the loss. Erian Rodriguez followed with four shutout innings in relief.

Luis Castillo (1-4, 2 RBI) brought home two in the first on a single. Reece Walling (1-3, RBI, BB) later provided an RBI single in the opening frame. Nine of the 10 Mudcats’ hits were singles in the victory.

With over two shutout innings in relief, Aidan Maldonado (2-0) took the win with four strikeouts in his outing. Bayden Root took the save by retiring the Pelicans in order in the ninth.

The series finishes on Sunday at 1 PM.