HiToms win in The Swamp
from Daniel Frey with the Thomasville Hi-Toms
Fayetteville, N.C. – The High Point-Thomasville HiToms (9-6) grabbed the lead in the top of the second inning and never looked back in a 4-2 road win against the Fayetteville Swampdogs (4-11).
In the top of the second, Derek Scheible who drove in the winning run last night smacked a triple off of the right field fence to put the HiToms ahead 2-0.
The Swampdogs struck with an RBI sacrifice fly out by Dan Neff but two other runners were left stranded against the HiToms starting pitcher Stevie Powers in the bottom of the second.
The HiToms played small ball in the top of the fourth by scoring on a double steal attempt. Drew Frederic scored before Myles Kutscher was tagged out in between first and second base to end the inning.
Three straight singles led to the next Swampdog run, Frankie Jezioro drove in his team high ninth RBI of the season to draw Fayetteville within one 3-2. Powers was pulled with one out in the bottom of the fourth and Reid Clements (1-0) got out of it with back-to-back strikeouts while also working out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth.
Myles Kutscher went lift off in the top of the seventh for his second homer of the season to put the HiToms ahead 4-2. The bullpen did the rest securing the lead for Austin Reich to slam the door with his second save. Mike Austin (2-1) is the unlucky pitcher for Fayetteville after going 6 1/3 innings striking out six batters and letting up three earned runs on five hits.
The Swampdogs outhit the HiToms 10-7 but it didn’t matter as this is the first time in 2016 that High Point-Thomasville has won after being outhit. A difference maker was that the Swampdogs committed 3 errors on the night.
The HiToms head back to Finch Field on Father’s Day to host Asheboro at 5 p.m. with a special pre-game concert by The Big Bang Boom Band included in the festivities.