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Nationals Beat Americans in KYPL Season Opener

Nationals Beat Americans in KYPL Season Opener
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By Chelsea Ladd
Jun. 30, 2020 | PADUCAH
By Chelsea Ladd Jun. 30, 2020 | 05:23 AM | PADUCAH
On the Opening Night of the Kentucky Prospects Collegiate Baseball League, Jase Felker reminded everyone how bittersweet the sound of a first-pitch home run can be. The KYPL-National team took a 13-12 victory over the KYPL-American team at Brooks Stadium on Monday night.

In the first inning, KYPL-National’s offense came to play as Felker hit his solo home run, dusting off any possible cobwebs from his college baseball season being suspended due to COVID-19.

For KYPL-American, Dillon Miller scored, tying the game after Rook Ellington doubled on a line drive to right field in the bottom half of the first.

As the rain poured on to the field, Felker and his teammates scored eight runs in the second inning. The big inning for the team came with the help from Coy Burns, Felker, and Trey Hutchinson, a walk by Jackson Fitzgerald, and a triple by Jacob Pennington, and a double by Jonah Brannon.

At the bottom of the second inning, Grant Davis scored after Miller earned himself a bases-loaded walk. KYPL-American earned one more run as Brady Betts walked Bryce Thomas.

Despite multiple occasions with bases loaded, KYPL-National escaped the inning.

Tyler Wood brought home Pennington with a single to short, bringing the score to 10-3 in the top of the third. KYPL-American remained quiet in the bottom half of the third inning despite Tyler Belcher making a beautiful connection that resulted in a line out to center field.

The score increased 11-3 in the top of the fourth as Trent Shelby doubled to center field, allowing Hutchinson to score. KYPL-American put up six runs in the bottom half of the inning with Thomas, Eric Riffe, and Ellington leading the pack with RBIs. The gap between the two teams began to dwindle at 11-9.

In the top of the fifth, Wood earned a sacrifice fly RBI which allowed Weslee Choate to score, resulting in the National team’s 12th run of the night. As Fitzgerald stepped on the mound to pitch, the American team looked to take advantage. The home team went on to tie the game 12-12 with aide from Cameron Head, Thompson stealing home, and pitches scored as wild.

KYPL-National refused to let their opponent win at the top of the sixth when Hutchison reached base on an error and Felker scored the final run of the night.

Fitzgerald went one and two-thirds innings and earned himself the victory, allowing zero runs on zero hits and striking out one. Betts and Brock Anderson also entered the game out of the bullpen in relief as well.

Riley Harris took the first loss of the Kentucky Prospects’ season. He went three and a third innings, allowed three runs on three hits, struck out two, and walked zero.

The Kentucky Prospects will play every Monday and Thursday night at Brooks Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30PM. The games have been scheduled to start from June 29 and end during the week of August 3, 2020.

 

KYPL-NATIONAL          181111XXX      13 12 2

KYPL-AMERICAN         120630XXX      12 5 3

WP: Jackson Fitzgerald (1-0); LP: Riley Harris (0-1)
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