Offensive Explosion Leads FredNats to 11-9 Win Over Wilson in one of the Games of the Year

Wilson, NC - The Fredericksburg Nationals came away with the win tonight in an electric almost 3:30 marathon 11-9 over the Wilson Warbirds. The teams combined for 25 hits and 19 walks.

For the first time in almost two weeks the FredNats put a crooked number up in the 1st inning. Luke Dickerson smacked a double to leadoff the game. The ensuing batter, Coy James, hit his team leading 15th home run of the season to put Fredericksburg up 2-0 just as the game got started. Wilson scored a run of its own in the 1st on an Alexander Frias RBI triple.

In the 2nd, the FredNats got the leadoff man on again with a Brady Cerkownyk single. They then managed to load the bases with no outs after back to back walks. Coy James grabbed his 3rd RBI of the day already with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1. In the 3rd, Jordan Williams hit an RBI triple to make it 4-1.

Wilson fought back in the bottom of the 3rd. With the top of the order up, Handlefry Encarnacion hit a leadoff single, then was brought home by a Brady Ebel two run homer to make it a one run game. The Warbirds would add on two more runs against the FredNats starter Marlon De La Cruz before the 3rd ended to go up 5-4.

After a couple of scoreless innings, the FredNats offense exploded in the top of the 6th. Cerkownyk lead off the inning with a walk. The Nationals then put together six hits in a row, including a two RBI double from Gavin Fien, a two RBI single from Hunter Hines and an RBI single from Juan Cruz to score five runs and go in front 9-5.

The fireworks didn’t end there. In the bottom of the 7th, Jose Anderson hit a two RBI single to make it 9-7. In the top of the 8th, Gavin Fien crushed a homerun into right centerfield to get the lead back to four at 11–7. Those runs ended being crucial as the Warbirds scored two more in the bottom of the 8th on a Brailyn Antunez single to make it 11-9.

With the win, the FredNats make it back-to-back wins after dropping the first two games of the series. They’ll look to make it three in a row to secure at least a split tomorrow. RHP Alexander Meckley is set to face off against RHP Miqueas Mercedes. First pitch from Wilson Ballpark is set for 7:05 PM.