Mudcats Rally Late in 4-3 Loss to Hillcats

Kay-Lan Nicasia went 2-for-4 with a RBI triple in the loss

Kay-Lan Nicasia - Carolina Mudcats (Credit: Neal Hock)

June 20, 2023

LYN: 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 4 7 1
CAR: 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 6 1

WP: Parker Messick (3 - 2) LP: Logan Henderson (0 - 2) SV: Zach Jacobs (2)

ZEBULON, N.C. - Kay-Lan Nicasia drove in a run with a RBI triple in the ninth, Luke Adams went 2-for-3 with two runs and Logan Henderson totaled a career-high nine strikeouts, but the Lynchburg Hillcats survived a late Carolina Mudcats rally while escaping with a 4-3 victory in front of a paid crowd of 6.017 on Tuesday night at Five County Stadium.

The Mudcats (33-29) rallied with a run in the seventh and two in the ninth, but reliever Zach Jacobs pitched around those late runs while holding on for the save. Lynchburg (30-34) starter Parker Messick (W, 3-2) picked up the win while pitching through six scoreless with five strikeouts.

Henderson (L, 0-2) started for the Mudcats and ended up with the tough luck loss after allowing a run in the second and leaving the game down 1-0. Aidan Maldonado followed and gave up a run in the sixth and two in the seventh while seeing the Hillcats take a 4-0 lead. Shane Smith finished the game with two scoreless frames while running his scoreless appearance streak to eight straight games.

The trio of Adams, Nicasia and Hedbert Perez accounted for all three of Carolina’s runs in the game with Perez driving in Adams with a single in the seventh, Nicasia scoring Adams in the ninth with a triple, and Perez bringing in Nicasia with a groundout in the ninth.

The Hillcats took 1-0 lead in the series with the Tuesday night victory. Carolina’s home stand will continue on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. with RHP Patricio Aquino starting for the Mudcats.

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Benjamin, 2B (Lynchburg): 2-for-4, 1 RBI
Genao, DH (Lynchburg): 1-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Saduy, RF (Lynchburg): 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Pastrano, 3B (Lynchburg): 1-for-2, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Adams, 3B (Carolina): 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 BB
Nicasia, RF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI
Perez, H, LF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Messick (W, 3-2) (Lynchburg): 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
Henderson (L, 0-2) (Carolina): 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO
Smith (Carolina): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:
Hillcats 2nd (Hillcats 1, Mudcats 0) -- Robert Lopez singles to right field. Jose Devers singles to right field, Robert Lopez to 2nd. Lexer Saduy singles through the hole at second base, Robert Lopez scores; Jose Devers to 3rd. Marc Filia strikes out swinging. Lexer Saduy caught stealing 2nd base, Jose Sibrian to Jadher Areinamo. Jordan Brown strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Hillcats 6th (Hillcats 2, Mudcats 0) -- Pitcher Change: Aidan Maldonado replaces Logan Henderson. Jose Pastrano walks. Juan Benjamin singles to deep shortstop, throwing error by Luke Adams.Juan Benjamin out at 2nd, Jesus Parra to Gregory Barrios. Angel Genao doubles to left field, Jose Pastrano scores. Wuilfredo Antunez flies out to Hedbert Perez. Robert Lopez walks. Jose Devers grounds into a force out, Gregory Barrios to Jadher Areinamo, Robert Lopez out at 2nd.
(1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)

Hillcats 7th (Hillcats 4, Mudcats 0) -- Lexer Saduy walks. Marc Filia grounds out, Luke Adams to Jesus Parra, Lexer Saduy to 2nd. Jordan Brown struck out looking. Jose Pastrano singles to right field, Lexer Saduy scores; Jose Pastrano to 2nd. Juan Benjamin singles through the hole at second base, Jose Pastrano scores; Juan Benjamin out at 2nd on the throw, Kay-Lan Nicasia to Jesus Parra to Gregory Barrios.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Hillcats 4, Mudcats 1) -- Pitcher Change: Zach Jacobs replaces Parker Messick. Luke Adams singles to shallow left field. Kay-Lan Nicasia singles to right-center field, Luke Adams to 3rd. Hedbert Perez singles through the hole at second base, Luke Adams scores; Kay-Lan Nicasia to 2nd. Jesus Parra flies into double play, Wuilfredo Antunez to Zach Jacobs to Juan Benjamin, Kay-Lan Nicasia out at 3rd. Jheremy Vargas strikes out swinging.
(1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 9th (Hillcats 4, Mudcats 3) -- Luke Adams walks. Kay-Lan Nicasia triples to center field, Luke Adams scores. Hedbert Perez grounds out, Marc Filia to Zach Jacobs, Kay-Lan Nicasia scores. Jesus Parra strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)