Offense Explodes for Threshers in Exhibition Victory 

CLEARWATER, FL – The Clearwater Threshers took their brand-new roster to the field for the first time in 2025 and came back to beat the Florida Complex League Phillies 12-9 on Tuesday afternoon at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers will begin their season on the road with a 6:30 pm Opening Day tilt at TD Ballpark in Dunedin against the Blue Jays on Friday, April 4th.

The FCL Phillies got off to a fast start in the opening frame, scoring four runs before the Threshers got a chance to bat. With one out in the top of the first, the inning was rolled over due to pitch count limitations, giving the FCL Phillies a four-run lead before the home half of the first.

With one out in the top of the second, the FCL Phillies added two more runs on a double to make it 6-0, prompting a pitching change. Three more runs came across before the inning ended, extending the deficit to 9-0.

With back-to-back powerful swings, the Threshers bridged the gap and got themselves on the board in the bottom of the third, after FCL starter Angel Liranzo left the game. Kodey Shojinaga greeted Mitch Neunborn with the Threshers’ first hit to lead off the third, then Nolan Beltran walked, and Dante Nori loaded the bases with a single.

On the first pitch he saw, Aroon Escobar smacked a double to straightaway centerfield that plated three runs. Eduardo Tait responded with a loud home run to right on the next pitch to make it 9-5 in favor of the Phillies. Carter Mathison singled before the inning rolled over, keeping the Threshers behind 9-5 after three.

The score remained stagnant until the seventh inning, which started with a hustle double by newly entered right-fielder Avery Owusu-Asiedu. Kehden Hettiger drew a walk, and both runners advanced on a double steal. Shojinaga followed with a fly ball to deep right, allowing Hettiger to advance to third and Owusu-Asiedu to score. Diego González followed with an RBI single that put the Threshers within two.

After the RBI, Nori drew a walk, and Escobar smacked his third hit of the day to load the bases. After working the count full, Tait drove in Nori and González with a single to right, tying the game at nine before the inning was rolled over.

Raider Tello smacked a single with one out in the eighth inning. Three pitches later, Owusu-Asiedu came through again, this time with a huge home run to give the Threshers their first lead of the game. Clearwater did not allow a run in the ninth, sealing an eight-run comeback win over the FCL Phillies.

Despite the Threshers' lead, they still played the bottom of the ninth in the exhibition, padding their lead to finish the game. Louie Albrecht was hit by a pitch to lead off the ninth, moving to second on a single by Diego González. Tello reached on a walk to load the bases, and Nori drove in Albrecht on a sacrifice fly to make it 12-9. Tough start aside, the Threshers scored in each of the final three innings to earn a 12-9 victory in their first scrimmage of the year.

Marcus Morgan allowed seven runs (five earned) on six hits with three walks in a no-decision. Saul Teran allowed two runs on two hits in 0.2 innings. Reese Dutton struck out two and allowed one walk and one hit in 3.0 scoreless innings. Eli Trop struck out one and allowed two hits and one walk in 1.0 scoreless inning. AJ Wilson walked one in a scoreless and hitless inning. Erik Ritchie earned the win in a shutout eighth inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced. Titan Hayes finished a scoreless ninth, facing the minimum and tallying a strikeout to earn the save.

Dutton recorded the first 1-2-3 inning and first strikeout of the scrimmage for the Threshers in the third...Escobar’s three hits came in consecutive at-bats...Both of Tait’s hits drove in two runs...Tait’s four RBIs are the most he has hit in a game with the Threshers...Owusu-Asiedu was 2-3 with two runs and two RBIs as a pinch hitter...The Threshers begin their season on the road in Dunedin the Blue Jays on Friday, April 4th...This was the Threshers' largest comeback since they came back from down 6-0 against Lakeland in 2023...The first pitch will be at 6:30 PM...You can purchase Threshers tickets for the upcoming season at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457…The Box Office at BayCare Ballpark is also open daily to purchase tickets…The hours are 10 AM-5 PM Monday through Friday and 10 AM-3 PM on Saturdays.