(Story courtesy Noah Adcock-Howeth, Augusta GreenJackets)
LYNCHBURG, Va, – Sustained offense was the name of the game for the Hillcats, as they scored in four straight innings and five of the first six to outpace Augusta’s offense 7-4 at Bank of the James Stadium.
Lynchburg began the offensive onslaught early, scoring in the first inning on a sacrifice fly from Esteban Gonzalez in an inning where all five batters hit the ball hard off of Garrett Baumann. Baumann has added velocity over his last two outings, but struggled to stay out of the middle of the zone, and the Hillcats worked to take quick advantage.
The GreenJackets got their best chance to score in the third against erratic starter Jackson Humphries, who walked the bases loaded with no outs at the bottom of the order. A Will Verdung walk brought home the first run of the night and tied the game, but Jeremy Celedonio and Cam Magee both struck out to end the threat.
In what would prove to be a consistent trend during the game, Lynchburg answered back with a run immediately after allowing one in the top half. A Luis Durango double and Christian Knapczyk single in the first two batters allowed the Hillcats to take the lead, which they would never relinquish. Gonzalez added a single to double the lead, and a bases loaded fielder’s choice from Knapczyk made it 4-1 after the fourth.
Augusta added a run in the fifth on a two out double from Cam Magee, scoring Joe Olsavsky. Olsavsky and Verdung reached base a combined seven times in nine plate appearances, providing at least a bit of offense for the struggling squad. Olsavsky and Isaiah Drake each drove in runs in the sixth, attempting to keep the game close in the middle innings.
Lynchburg assured their victory as soon as Baumann departed one batter into the fifth, scoring three quick runs over 1.2 innings off of LJ McDonough to make the game 7-4 after sixth. Neither team would score past that point, as Will Silva came in for Augusta and held the Hillcats in check for two innings, while Deredt Parra retired all nin batters he faced for his first save in a Lynchburg uniform.
Tonight’s victory not only assured the Hillcats would win the series no matter tomorrow’s result, it also kept them mathematically alive in the playoff hunt. With Lynchburg’s win and a loss from the Carolina Mudcats, the Hillcats are now just three games out of first in the Carolina League North Division. Lynchburg has four games remaining in the first half, while Carolina has five due to an early season rainout against Columbia. Augusta and Lynchburg will meet one more time tomorrow for a Father’s Day matinee at 2 p.m., before the GreenJackets head to Salem to face the Red Sox and the Hillcats migrate south to take on the Charleston RiverDogs beginning Tuesday.
The GreenJackets will be back at home beginning Tuesday, June 25 for a six-game series against the Charleston RiverDogs, who they host for the second time this season. Key moments of the upcoming homestand include Pickleball Night, Faith & Family Night and Pirates of the Savannah River Night. Tickets and more info about all the things happening at SRP Park can be found at greenjacketsbaseball.com.
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