ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — An eight-run fifth inning in which the Stars sent 10 batters to the plate, five of which drove in runs, proved to be plenty as they defeated the Stripes, 8-3, Friday nightat Riverside Park in Elizabethton, Tenn.
Eight different Stars players recorded at least one hit in the contest, including 2-for-3 efforts from both Gavin Cross (Virginia Tech) and Kyle Teel (Virginia).
Chris Villaman (NC State) picked up the win with five strikeouts in 2.2 innings in relief of his collegiate teammate Sam Highfill (NC State) who fanned four batters of his own in 3.0 innings of one-run ball.
Landon Sims recorded the final four outs for the Stars, punching out three. Gabriel Hughes (Gonzaga) gave the Stripes squad a solid start, needing just 39 pitches (26 strikes) to post three shutout innings.
KEY MOMENTS
- For the seventh time in as many games, the Stripes got on the scoreboard first taking a 1-0 lead after a leadoff double by Drew Gilbert (Tennessee), a passed ball and an RBI double by Ethan Long (Arizona State).
- The two teams traded zeroes until the fifth when the Stripes struck again with a bases-loaded walk to Long for his second RBI of the game.
- The Stars came roaring back in the home half of the frame though, erupting for eight runs on six hits.
- The first five batters in the inning reached base with either a walk or a single, including run-scoring hits from Teel, Logan Tanner (Mississippi State) and Robert Moore (Arkansas).
- Jacob Berry made it a 4-2 game with a sacrifice fly before Cross and Brooks Lee (Cal Poly) loaded the bases once again with back-to-back base hits.
- Jacob Gonzalez (Ole Miss) broke the game open three pitches later with a two-run single to center.
- Due to pitch count restrictions, the inning was brought to an end one out early and both remaining baserunners were tallied as runs based on a prior arrangement between the two teams for that situation.
- The Stripes got one run back with an RBI groundout off the bat of Dylan Beavers (California) but Sims came out of the bullpen and slammed the door shut by striking out three of the four batters he faced to close out the contest.
- Reggie Crawford (UCONN) also impressed on the mound for the Stripes, striking out the side in the bottom of the sixth.
NOTABLE INFORMATION
- With two hits each on Friday, both Cross and Gilbert have nine hits this summer, tying for the team lead.
- Hayden Dunhust (Ole Miss) gunned down back-to-back potential basestealers at second in the second inning.
- After striking out five on Friday, Villaman now leads both squads with nine punchouts this summer.
- Friday’s contest was just the second of the summer that did not feature a home run and the first since the series opener in Danville on July 2.
ON DECK
- The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will conclude the Tri-Cities portion of its Appalachian League tour on Saturday evening when the Stars and Stripes take the field in Kingsport, Tenn. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. ET at Hunter Wright Stadium, home of the Appy League’s Kingsport Axmen.
