Melvin Novoa's 10th Inning Single Walks Off Boulders

WASHINGTON, Pa. (May 17) - The Washington Wild Things walked off the New York Boulders in the extra innings Wednesday night to capture the series by a score of 10-9. Melvin Novoa was the walkoff hero as his RBI single in the 10th plated the game’s winning run.

In the first inning, the Boulders jumped on the Wild Things early with a leadoff single by Thomas Walraven followed by a two-run home run by Tucker Nathans to give the Boulders an early lead. The Wild Things would answer, with a leadoff triple by Nick Gotta before Tristan Peterson would hit a ball in play to score Gotta, which cut the Boulders lead to one. 

The Boulders would start things off in the second inning with a leadoff double to right field by Joe DeLuca. Next, a fielding error on an errant throw from the Wild Things would score DeLuca, giving the Boulders a two-run lead in the second. Shortly after, Andrew Czech drew a walk and Anthony Brocato was hit by a pitch. Then Scotty Dubrule hit a double into the left center gap, scoring both and tying things up for the Wild Things in the bottom of the second. 

New York kept its hot start going in the top of the third inning, as David Vinksy would hit a solo home run on the first pitch over the right field fence to give the Boulders the lead. Pat Kivlehan would follow-up with a double to put another guy on base for the Boulders, and subsequently scored on a single to right field by Joe DeLuca. The Wild Things answered back on a leadoff solo home run to right center by Tristan Peterson and cut the Boulders lead to one. Nathans would continue his scorching hot night at the plate for the Boulders in the next half inning, as he hit a two RBI double to right center, making it 7-4 Boulders.

However, while the Boulders held a three-run lead, the Wild Things would not back down. The offense continued to put the bat on the ball as Ian Walters led things off with a leadoff triple in the fourth. Dubrule followed that up with an RBI double down the left field line, before taking advantage of a wild pitch to score himself, which put the Wild Things within one of the Boulders at 7-6.

Starting pitcher Caden Lemons would be forced out of the game and the Boulders would go to the bullpen to finish the inning. Arrison Perez was the first relief pitcher for Washington, as he put together a 1-2-3 inning to record the first scoreless inning of the night for either squad.

At the plate, Melvin Novoa would continue the sizzling night at the plate for the Wild Things with a leadoff double to left field. To follow-up the leadoff hit, Andrew Czech would plate Novoa on a two-run home run and give the Wild Things a one-run lead, their first of the night, at 8-7. The Boulders would turn once again to their bullpen as the ball was given to Zach Schneider who would get the Boulders out of the fifth. Perez would hold things down again in the top of the sixth inning, allowing no runs. 

In the top of the eighth, Chris Kwitzer would hit a double to lead things off for the Boulders. Next, Kwitzer would take third base on a wild pitch and then a sacrifice fly into centerfield by Giovanni Garbella tied things in the top of the eighth. 

Washington had chances to win in the eighth and ninth innings but, in total, left five on base in the final two frames, sending the game to extras and the international tiebreaker rule. To begin extra innings, the Wild Things would bring in reliever Lukas Young. The Boulders would score the international tiebreaker rule runner from second on a single by Chris Kwitzer, but got no more.

In the bottom of the 10th inning, the Boulders would go back to their bullpen for the final time and give Dawson Lane the opportunity to shut the door. Nick Gotta would start things off for the Wild Things with a single to shallow left center. Gotta would then advance to third and the extra inning base runner scored on an error on a Boulders’ pickoff attempt. With one out and runners on first and third, Melvin Novoa hit a single into right center field to score Gotta and secure the walkoff win for the Wild Things.

The Wild Things are next in action Thursday, where they are set to battle the New York Boulders in the last game of their second series of the season. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m., May 18, with tickets still available at 724-250-9555, washingtonwildthings.com or at the TicketSmarter Box Office.