Washington Takes Series Opener Behind Early Offense
WASHINGTON, Pa. (August 29) – The Washington Wild Things took the opener of the series against Joliet, 9-5, in a game that saw the Wild Things fall behind in the first before scoring eight runs in the third and fourth innings combined en route to their 44th win of the season.
Joliet scored two on a double by Tommy Stevenson in the first inning and then the offenses were held in check until the bottom of the third. In that inning, Washington got an RBI triple from Carson Clowers, his first triple of the season, to make it 2-1 before tying the game when Clowers scored on a wild pitch. Tommy Caufield came up with Caleb McNeely aboard and hit an opposite-field, two-run homer, his third of the year, which gave Washington a 4-2 lead. A few batters later Andrew Czech delivered an opposite-field home run, his 20th of the year, making it 5-2.
Czech getting to 20 home runs signaled history for Washington, as he joined Anthony Brocato (26) in the 20-plus homer department this season. It’s the second time in franchise history Wild Things’ teammates have both hit 20 or more homers in a season and Czech becomes the sixth Wild Thing to reach the mark in team history. In 2009, Grant Psomas hit 24 and Frontier League Hall of Fame Jacob Dempsey smashed a single-season-best 31 for the club.
The offensive onslaught for Washington continued with a three-run fourth inning, as Caleb McNeely and Brocato had run-scoring hits to cap off the frame after a passed ball scored the first of three tallies.
The visiting Slammers grabbed three in the fifth against winning pitcher Hayden Shenefield, who worked 5.2 innings and allowed five runs. He was an out from a quality start in the victorious effort. He was relieved by Justin Showalter, who recorded the final out of the frame, but the hit he allowed plated the back two of the three runs for Joliet in the frame. Arrison Perez then worked two scoreless, retiring all six batters he faced before Lukas Young set down the side in order in the ninth to close the game.
The series now shifts to the middle game with Kobe Foster taking the hill for Washington tomorrow evening at 6:05 p.m. on the final Senior Slugger Program Wednesday of the season, presented by AARP Pennsylvania. Promotional info and tickets for all five remaining games can be found out www.washingtonwildthings.com.
