Wild Things Drop Series Opener in 10 Innings at Sussex County
AUGUSTA, NJ (May 17) – It took extras, but despite a comeback by Washington to tie it late and force the international tie-breaker rule to be put in play, the Wild Things (1-3) dropped the series opener to Sussex County (4-1), 5-4 in 10 innings.
Sussex County scored three times in the first inning to start things off after the Wild Things were retired in order in their half of the inning. Martin Figueroa grounded a ball to first base on which Andrew Czech attempted to get an out at home. The ball was dropped as the catcher Alex Alvarez and runner Mikey Reynolds collided a bit trying to make the play and score, respectively. That led to the Miners scoring first, then Sussex County added two more with a sac fly by Errol Robinson and a run-scoring single by Cito Culver.
Mediavilla kept dazzling through four before running into a bit of trouble in the fifth. The frame started with a base hit by Czech before Hector Roa got his second hit of the game to move Czech to third on what was Roa’s 62nd career double as a Wild Thing. That broke a tie with Jacob Dempsey (2008-10) at 61 for Roa to move into third alone in club history in the category. Czech then scored on a single by Ian Walters, which got Washington on the board. That would be all the Wild Things would get in the fifth though after a double play and a short groundout.
Hayden Pearce worked five in his start and got four zeroes after the three-run first. He finished with five innings and allowed six hits, three earned runs and two walks. Pearce fanned two. Czech and Roa reached again in seventh but the Wild Things could not plate them. Michael Mediavilla’s night ended at 6.2 innings with seven hits allowed, the singular run and six strikeouts.
Nick Beardsley yielded a run in 1.2 innings of work as Sussex County scored a run in the seventh to make it 4-1 on a groundout by Ariel Sandoval. Washington scored three times in the eighth to tie the game on an error, a Scotty Dubrule RBI groundout and a base hit by Czech.
Both managers were tossed during the course of the bottom of the eighth. Neither team scored in the ninth and Washington failed to plate its international tiebreaker rule runner in the 10th or score in general. Sussex County won after advancing the baserunner on a sac bunt and a sac fly from Jawuan Harris to win it.
The Wild Things and Miners will play the middle game of the set tomorrow at Skyland Stadium at 7:05 p.m. Righty Rob Whalen (1-0, 0.00 ERA) takes the mound for Washington and will be opposed by Sussex County right hander Dwayne Marshall (1-0, 1.80 ERA).
