Tarpons Fall to Flying Tigers on Opening Night

TAMPA, Fla. — Opening Night saw the Tampa Tarpons (0-1) return to their home, George M. Steinbrenner Field, to play host to the Lakeland Flying Tigers (1-0) for the second straight year. The first game back at GMS Field saw lots of scoring with 19 total runs crossing the plate.

Carson Rucker opened the scoring with a double to bring in Bryce Rainer for the Flying Tigers. The scoring continued for Lakeland with Jack Goodman’s base hit to bring in Rucker and give the Flying Tigers a 2-0 lead after the top of the first.

The Tarpons would respond in the bottom of the second inning. Logan Maxwell hustled on a fielder's choice to score Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek. Hans Montero followed up with an infield single to score Maxwell. Brando Mayea drove in Hans Montero and Austin Green to cap off a four-run second inning, giving the Tarpons a 4-2 advantage.

The top of third saw a multitude of walks and base hits leading to six runs for the Flying Tigers, putting them ahead of the Tarpons 8-4. Jo Jo Jackson would cut into the Tarpons’ deficit in the bottom half with an RBI-single to score Martin-Grudzielanek.

Lakeland would score two more runs in the top of the fourth. Both runs coming in via walks to extend the lead to 10-5.

Beau Ankeney kept the ball rolling for the Flying Tigers with an RBI-single past the outstretched shortstop, Martin-Grudzielanek, to score Jack Goodman. Another Flying Tiger would cross the plate after a Tarpons’ fielding miscue to grow their lead to 12-5 after the top of the fifth.

Another run would not score until the bottom of the seventh inning where Jackson belted a double off the wall to reel in two Tarpons, making the score 12-7 in favor of the Flying Tigers, which would hold as the final tally.

The Tarpons will be back in action at GMS Field tomorrow night at 6:30 PM to take on the Flying Tigers in game two of this Easter Weekend Series.