The Prohelific Power didn’t have to wait long to earn their first win of the new season as they exploded with 10 runs in the 7th inning en route to a 15-10 victory over the Burlington-Graham Post 63 Legion team on Thursday evening at the Graham Middle School.
The Power sent 14 men to the plate during that 7th inning uprising and Alex Swim and Lyle Donaldson both connected for home runs to lead the Power surge. Swim hit a three-run shot and Donaldson a solo homer to pace the Power attack. For Swim that was his only hit of the night and he made it count while Donaldson added a single and reached base twice on walks.
Aaron Jones got the biggest blast of the night as he sent a shot to deep left field that cleared the bases for a Grand Slam home run in the fifth inning. Jones’ big poke came with the bases full of Power players and at that stage of the game it gave the Power their first lead of the evening at 5-2. That lead would not hold up as Post 63 posted four runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth to go back out in front 6-5. Matt Parker drove in two of those runs for Post 63 and he finished with three runs scored in the ball game.
That lucky inning number seven did the trick for the Power and when the score hit 15-6 after five and half innings, the Power then held on for the 15-10 win. Aaron Jones came on the close out the game in the 8th inning for the Power following Jacob Cadle who picked up the win for the Power after the PP starter Timmy Dezearns went four and two thirds innings to get the Power turned on at the begining of the game. Dezearns struck out 7 Post 63 batters and walked none while allowing eight hits and 6 runs. Cadle gave up two runs and struck out three while Jones surrendered two runs and had one strike out.
In that 7th inning where the Power put 10 runs on the board, the Post 63 pitching staff gave up back-to-back-to-back-to back walks to go along with those two home runs. The line score on the ball game was 15 runs on 11 hits with 5 errors and nine men left on base for the Proehlific Power and 10 runs on 13 hits with 1 error and 11 men left on base for the Post 63 Legion squad out of Burlington-Graham.
Matt Nettesheim had two runs scored, 2RBI’s, on a single and two walks for the Power. Nick Jones kept his average of two runs scored per game going with runs in the 5th and 7th innings from his DH role and he had another double to give him three on the young season. Travis Woolen had two hits and two runs scored. Aaron Jones had that Grand Slam home run and scored twice. Alex Swim had the three-run homer, Lyle Donaldson had the HR and a single and scored two runs, Logan Self had a single and two walks and scored one run, Robbie McIntosh was on base during all five of his at-bats with a double-three walks-a fielders choice and he scored two times, Eric Simmons had a key bunt single, and Zach Reffey drew a walk and scored a run. That’s how the offense looked last night for the Proehlific Power.
The Power get the win to go (1-1) and they will be in action again this weekend playing one of the nation’s top-ranked teams on Saturday evening.
Thanks S.S. or S.R. for the story.
The Power finished the weekend 2 – 2 in a showcase tournment held in Hickory this past weekend. The Power beat the Georgia Roadrunners and the South Charlotte Panthers while losing to the Anglers and the Charlotte Heat. Every team was strong. The Power played 4 games and saw 4 excellent pitchers. Power pitcher Esterlin Paulino pitched 5 innings of 2 hit ball striking out 11 against the Georgia Roadrunners, while Miochael Dimock went the distance against South Charlotte striking out 9. The Power is still playing shorthanded due to injuries and players still with their college team. This week has the Power home on Wednesday night against Person County American Legion, travel to Asheboro on Thursday and back at home Saturday and Sunday for doubleheaders each day. Saturday they will take on the Southeastern Anglers, while Sunday they will host the Charlotte Huirricanes.