Tight Opening Game

 

The opening game of the MCBL Championship Series (best 2 out of 3) was a close affair with the # 2 seed Putty Hill Panthers coming out on top of the # 1 seed Gaithersburg Giants......4 - 2.

 

The Panthers had 14 baserunners (7 hits, 4 walks, 3 safe by error) while the Giants had 13 baserunners (4 hits, 7 walks and 2 errors).  

 

Both teams pitchers did a solid job of scattering the hits allowed, with the Giants Daniel Ryczek striking out five Panthers.  Each team only had one extra base hit.  Only once did a team (Panthers) manage to have two hits in the same inning.

 

The Giants struck first in the third inning with Evan Colon racing home on the perfect execution of a double steal.  The Panthers tied it in the sixth inning after a leadoff double by C.J. Mackison, who later scored on Luke Trainer's single.  

 

The Panthers big inning was in the seventh.  After the Panthers loaded the bases with no outs, the Giants Quentin Bubb made the defensive play of the night when he robbed the Panthers Michael Wade of an extra base hit with a great running over the shoulder catch at the warning track in dead center.   However,  the Panthers Matt Shephard later followed with the last of his three singles on the night to drive in the eventual winning run.

 

The Giants came back with Quentin Bubb driving in Bradley Sawyer who had reached scoring position on a Panther's throwing error.

 

The Giants rallied again in the bottom of the ninth, but the Panthers pitcher William Benson snagged Evan Colon's scorching line drive and doubled up a runner to end the game with a double play.

 

Game Two of the MCBL Championship Series is tonight at UMBC at 6:30 pm.  If necessary, Game Three will also be at UMBC (weather permitting) on Wednesday at 6:30 pm.

 

See ya at the ballfield!