Opening Night Memories - #MiLBAtHomeOpener

It's time for the "Seventh Inning" of the Mudcats' #MiLBAtHomeOpener, which means a look back at historic Opening Day moments in franchise history. The Mudcats are celebrating 30 years of baseball in 2020, so we have plenty of great moments to revisit going all the way back to the inaugural 1991 season.

Opening Night 1991 - at Greenville 1, Carolina 0

April 11, 1991: The Carolina Mudcats play their first ever game in franchise history on April 11, 1991 in Greenville, SC. The game results in a 1-0 loss, but features Terry Crowley Jr. notching the first hit in Mudcats franchise history. Starter Lee Hancock took a tough-luck loss for the Mudcats after giving up five hits and one run over 6 and 2/3 innings. Hancock also struck out five and walked one in what was the first ever game in franchise history. The game was played in-front or a record crowd of 11,781 in Greenville, SC.

Starting Lineup:
Chris Estep, LF
Terry Crowley, 2B
John Wehner, 1B
Eddie Zambrano, RF
Ed Yacopino, CF
Felix Antiqua, C
Bruce Schreiber, 3B
Mike Huyler, SS
Lee Hancock, P

Home Opener 1991 - at Carolina 5, Greenville 1 (played at Fleming Stadium, Wilson, NC)

April 19, 1991: With Five County Stadium still under construction, the Mudcats begin playing games at Fleming Stadium in Wilson, NC. The Mudcats defeated the visiting Greenville Braves 5-1 in their first home game of the season. Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield scattered four hits and allowed just one run over seven innings while earning what would be his first of a franchise record 15 wins that season.

Starting Lineup:
Chris Estep, LF
Bruce Schreiber, 2B
John Wehner, 1B
Ed Yacopino, CF
Eddie Zambrano, RF
Terry Crowley, 3B
Tim Hines, C
Mike Huyler, SS
Tim Wakefield, P

Five County Stadium Opener 1991 - at Carolina 6, Greenville 1

July 3, 1991: Due to construction delays, the Carolina Mudcats ended up playing their first home game at Five County Stadium in Zebulon a bit later than hoped. They instead started their inaugural 1991 season playing home games at Fleming Stadium in Wilson, NC before finally making their home debut in Zebulon on July 3. That official home opener resulted in a 6-1 victory versus Greenville and was played in front of a crowd of 7,333 at Five County Stadium. Construction workers were still installing the new stadium seats when the Mudcats finally began their home slate of games in Zebulon. Those same workers also had to physically raise a flag pole during the opening night rendition of the National Anthem before the first game in Five County Stadium history.

Starting Lineup:
Will Pennyfeather, LF
Greg Edge, SS
Kevin Young, 3B
Terry Crowley, 2B
Mandy Romero, C
Eddie Zambrano, CF
Ben Shelton, 1B
Chris Estep, RF
Steve Buckholz, P

Opening Night 1993 - Carolina 4, at Jacksonville 3

April 8, 1993: Rich Aude clubbed a first inning three-run homer and former major leaguers Blaine Beatty and Freddie Toliver stifled the Jacksonville bats as the Mudcats won their opening day game 4-3 at Wolfson Park. Beatty, who pitched for the Mets in the major leagues and later coached against the Mudcats while with the Frederick Keys, permitted just two runs in six innings to earn the win.

Starting Lineup:
Tony Beasley, 2B
Al De Los Santos, LF
Midre Cummings, CF
Rich Aude, 1B
Mark Johnson, DH
Keith Thomas, RF
Keith Osik, C
Jim Krevokuch, 3B
Bruce Schreiber, SS
Blaine Beatty, P

Opening Night 1995 - at Carolina 2, Port City 1

April 6, 1995: The Mudcats celebrated their first season-opening game at Five County Stadium with a 2-1 victory over the Port City Roosters before a crowd of nearly 3,000 in Zebulon. Jason Kendall doubled and scored a run in the first and starter Brett Backlund allowed just one run on four hits over six strong innings in the opening night victory. Kendall went on to earn MVP honors for the Southern League Champion Mudcats in 1995.

Starting Lineup:
Jermaine Allensworth, CF
Jason Kendall, C
George Canale, 1B
Omer Munoz, 2B
Jake Austin, DH
Ramon Espinosa, LF
Jon Farrell, RF
Jim Krevokuch, 3B
Kevin Polcovich, SS
Brett Backlund, P

Opening Day 2002: Carolina 7, at Huntsville 5

April 4, 2002: The Mudcats won for the first time as an affiliate of the Colorado Rockies after outlasting the Stars 7-5 in 12 innings on April 4, 2002 in Huntsville. The four hour and 12 minute marathon of a game was forced into extras by a two-out, two-strike triple by Dan Phillips. Garrett Atkins led what was a 16-hit attack for the Mudcats by going 4-for-7 with a RBI double in the first and two runs scored.

Starting Lineup:
Rene Reyes, 1B
Clint Barmes, SS
Garrett Atkins, 3B
Matt Holliday, LF
Jason Dewey, C
Dan Phillips, RF
Choo Freeman, CF
Javier Colina, 2B
Ryan Kibler, P

Opening Night 2003 - at Carolina 7, Chattanooga 5

Starting Lineup:
Chris Aguila, RF
Josh Wilson, SS
Will Smith, LF
Miguel Cabrera, 3B
Pat Magness, 1B
Chip Ambres, CF
Wilson Valdez, 2B
Ryan Jorgensen, C
Clint Sodowsky, P

April 3, 2003: Carolina won its 2003 season opener with help of an Opening Night grand slam from top prospect Miguel Cabrera. The grand slam helped lift the Mudcats to a 7-5 home win versus Chattanooga and was the first in the young career of the future Triple Crown Award winner and two-time MVP.

Opening Night 2004 - Carolina 11, at Mobile 3

April 8, 2004: The Mudcats combined to hit four home runs in an 11-3 Opening Night victory in Mobile on April 8, 2004. Joe Dillon and Jason Stokes hit back-to-back with homers in the first and Josh Wilson hit an opposite field grand slam in the ninth. Dillon also homered again in the sixth and went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI overall. Both Stokes and Wilson went 2-for-4 with 4 RBI.

Starting Lineup:
Eric Reed, CF
Josh Wilson, SS
Josh Willingham, C
Jason Stokes, 1B
Joe Dillon, 3B
Jim Kavourias, RF
Chip Ambres, LF
Jim Goelz, 2B
Trevor Hutchinson, P

Opening Night 2012 - at Carolina 11, Winston-Salem 2

April 6, 2012: Jesus Aguilar led the charge with four hits as the Mudcats began the club's new Carolina League era with an 11-2 opening night victory over the Winston-Salem Dash. Aguilar went 4-for-5 with a couple of runs batted in and starter Clayton Cook scattered a two hits and struck out two over five innings pitched in what was the first ever victory for the Mudcats at the High-A level.

Starting Lineup:
Tyler Holt, CF
Tony Wolters, 2B
Giovanny Urshela, 3B
Jesus Aguilar, 1B
Jeremie Tice, DH
Jake Lowery, C
Carlos Moncrief, RF
Ronny Rodriguez, SS
Delvi Cid, LF
Clayton Cook, P

Opening Night 2017 - Carolina 15, at Frederick 11

April 7, 2017: The Mudcats survived a late surge by the Keys to take their 2017 opener in wild fashion 15-11 in Frederick. Corbin Burnes started for Carolina and allowed just one unearned run on two hits while also striking out five over five innings pitched. Burnes, however, would not factor into the decision after the Mudcats' pen lost a 10-1 lead in the sixth by giving up nine Frederick runs. The Mudcats later broke the 10-10 tie with five runs over the final two frames to the take the wild opener and win the club's first ever game as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Luis Aviles Jr. and Troy Stokes Jr. hit back-to-back homers in the opening frame while leading the way in Carolina's victory. Aviles also stole three bags, drove in four runs and finished the game 4-for-5 at the plate.

Starting Lineup:
Trent Clark, CF
Weston Wilson, DH
Isan Diaz, SS
Lucas Erceg, 3B
Jake Gatewood, 1B
Max McDowell, C
Luis Aviles, 2B
Troy Stokes Jr., LF
Carlos Belonis, RF
Corbin Burnes, P

Home Opener 2019 - at Carolina 7, Wilmington 6

April 11, 2019: Dallas Carroll blasted a three-run, walk-off, home run in the ninth to lead the Mudcats to a 7-6 victory versus the Wilmington Blue Rocks in Carolina’s first home game of the 2019 season on April 11, 2019.

Starting Lineup:
Joantgel Segovia, CF
Ryan Aguilar, 1B
Tristen Lutz, RF
Payton Henry, DH
Mario Feliciano, C
Eddie Silva, 3B
Zach Clark, LF
Dallas Carroll, 2B
Devin Hairston, SS
Nelson Hernandez, P

Opening Day 2019 was one for the ages.

When it's time to make these memories once again, we'll be ready... and we can't wait for you to join us.#OpeningDayAtHome | #Mudcats30 pic.twitter.com/Nmk3OTv1Oo

— Carolina Mudcats (@CarolinaMudcats) March 26, 2020

Greg Young is the play-by-play broadcaster and Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting for the Carolina Mudcats. Follow the Mudcats on Twitter @CarolinaMudcats.