Five-run fifth inning leads to 7-3 Forest City win on Opening Night
Courtesy of Daniel Frey with the HiToms…
Forest City, N.C. – A five-run fifth inning paces the Forest City Owls past the High Point-Thomasville HiToms 7-3 on Tuesday night at McNair Field.
The HiToms struck first in the Coastal Plain League opener on after a ground ball from HPT left fielder Myles Kutscher slid underneath the glove of Forest City shortstop Milton Rivera for an error scoring David Newcomer.
Another run was added in the top of the second on an RBI fielder’s choice off of the bat of Brad Jarreau. The HiToms were able to convert using small ball and hustle in the first two innings to build a 2-0 lead.
Steven Bower a left-hander from North Georgia earned the start and went 4 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out four batters.
The Forest City bats heated up in the top of the fifth inning putting up a five spot that started with a solo homer by Milton Rivera off of HiToms reliever Ryan Kahny. Right-hander Reid Clements was brought out of the bullpen in the fifth with two runners on, no outs. He fielded a bunt and threw it away down the first base line allowing two runs to score pushing the Owls ahead. Two more Owl runs were brought in via singles by Seth Hoagland and Erik Williams in the frame.
Kutscher got a run back for the HiToms with a solo moonshot over the high left field wall at McNair Field but that would be the last HiTom hit of the game.
Clements put in solid work out of the bullpen and he checked out in favor of Andrew Dill in the bottom of the eighth who let up a 2-run homer to Mason Fox which gave the Owls more cushion heading into the final inning 7-3.
The Forest City Owls take the CPL season opener over the HiToms 7-3, the winning pitcher was Chris Raasch (1-0) and saddled with the loss was Ryan Kahny (0-1). The HiToms scored three runs on four hits and committed one error with six runners left on base while the Owls scored seven runs on 11 hits with two errors and eight runners were left on.
The Coastal Plain League home opener at Finch Field is Wednesday night, June 1 at 7 p.m. against the Gastonia Grizzlies.