LYNCHBURG, VA – Fredericksburg fell into an early hole and pulled to within four runs late, but ultimately suffered their first loss of the season, falling to Lynchburg 12-7, Friday.
The Hillcats stepped on the gas from the jump. Leadoff man Juan Benjamin singled in the first inning, stole second base, and Jaison Chourio walked one batter later. Angel Genao then ripped an RBI double back up the middle to put Lynchburg up 1-0, with Chourio advancing to third on the play. Wuilfredo Antunez then lifted a sacrifice fly into right, and Jose Pastrano singled through the infield to give the Hillcats a 3-0 lead. Robert Lopez delivered another two runs with his line drive into center, making it a five-run first inning for Lynchburg.
The Freddies battled back in the second, as Armando Cruz reached on an E6 to open the frame. Then, with one man gone, Nate Ochoa connected on his first professional home run to chop the deficit to just three runs for the Nats.
Gabriel Agostini held the ‘Cats scoreless in the bottom of the second, but they jumped on him again in the third. Angel Genao singled, before two straight walks loaded the bases. A third free pass forced in a run, and was the end of the road for Agostini. Jose Atencio entered in relief, but quickly gave up a pair of two run doubles which pushed Lynchburg’s lead up to 10-2 after the third inning. They added another run in the fourth, on an RBI fielder’s choice to make it 11-2.
Fredericksburg clawed back with a run in the sixth on a passed ball, and kept that momentum going into the top of the seventh inning. Elijah Green fell behind 1-2 leading off the frame, before demolishing the next pitch over the batters’ eye in dead center field for his first home run of the season. Brandon Pimentel walked behind him, and a wild pitch followed by a balk allowed him to move up to third base. Roismar Quintana then brought him home with a sacrifice fly, pulling the Nats to within six runs. Jose Colmenares followed Quintana and reached on a walk, then was balked to second base. Later, Armando Cruz put a ball in play to the second baseman, but the throw to first was off-target, as Colmenares scurried home on the E4 to make it 11-6 Hillcats. Cruz went on to score on a pair of passed balls and a wild pitch, as the Freddies found themselves down just four runs.
However, Lynchburg added one more run in the home half of the seventh and went on to shut the door on any comeback effort, as the Hillcats served the Nationals their first loss of the season. Kyle Scott got the win for Lynchburg, while Agostini suffered the loss.
Saturday is a double-header, beginning at 4 p.m. In game one, Jarlin Susana opposes Matt Wilkinson. Then in the second tilt, Marc Davis squares off against Yorman Gomez.
