Heartbreaking Call Ends Hillcats Late Rally

A slow start hurt the Lynchburg Hillcats as they would drop the series opener to the Carolina Mudcats by a score of 3-2 on Tuesday evening.

Lynchburg had to wait until the bullpen would enter the game before scratching a run across. However, a close and controversial call finalized the ballgame and destroyed any hopes of a Hillcats comeback.

After a dominant first inning from Jackson Humphries, the Mudcats would find a weakness in his approach as they would piece together a run in the third. After a walk to Yhoswar Garcia, Yophery Rodriguez would dribble a ball down the right field line for an RBI double to take the lead.

In the fourth inning, Carolina would add on off of Humphries with a two-spot before running the southpaw from the ballgame. Garcia would drive in his first run of the night on a sacrifice fly, pushing the lead to two. Rodriguez would scratch a second RBI across on a grounder off the glove of the pitcher, moving Carolina in front by three.

After a dominant start from Daniel Corniel, Lynchburg would finally crack the scoreboard off the bullpen in the seventh. A leadoff single by Luis Merejo would run Corniel from the game. Later in the inning, Juan Benjamin would deliver a two-out double, driving home the runner and cutting the deficit to two.

The eighth would see more success at the dish as Luis Durango would find himself in scoring position after a fielder’s choice. Two batters later, Francisca would drive him home with a single up the middle, marking a 3-2 Mudcat advantage.

The game would come down to a controversial call in the bottom of the ninth inning as Ryan Cesarini would be called out after a ricocheted ball off the glove of the first baseman would bounce around before returning to the bag. Lynchburg pleaded with the umpires, but to no avail, as they would drop further out of the playoff chase.

Lynchburg and Carolina will square off for game two on Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. at Bank of the James Stadium.