Tale Of Two Games: Shootout Erupts as Wolfpack Down Cardinals 21-17
Posted July 9, 2018
It seemed the Wolfpack bats indeed only needed some time to shake off the rust from the time off, because they scored runs in all seven innings of this game en route to a shootout win to salvage a split in the season series with the Cardinals.
The defense was shaky yet again, as the Pack committed another five errors to go along with their six from Game 1. But, in true Wolfpack fashion, the offense hung twenty-one runs on the Cardinals to bail out the defense.
Wolfpack starter Brent Suecroft (0-0) struggled uncharecteristically with his command early and found himself forced into hitter's counts which led to him allowing eight hits and seven walks through two and a third, he struck out one and gave up eight runs. Neil Robertson (0-0) came in for his second pitching appearance of the day and limited the walks for an inning but still gave up four runs of his own before Christian Lapointe (2-0) would enter the game and provide some stability on the mound for the next three innings. The defense faltered yet again behind Lapointe as he would surrender five more runs (all of which were unearned) but by limiting the damage long enough for the Wolfpack offense to continue firing, Lapointe would ultimately earn his second win of the season in a solid relief effort.
The Wolfpack offense exploded back to life in this game, and never gave the Cardinal pitching staff a chance to breathe after scoring five runs in the first inning. The only player to not record a hit was catcher Steve Selinger, and that was because they couldn't throw him any strikes to swing at, he reached base via the free pass four times in five plate appeareances. Jon Young had one hit in four at-bats while drawing two walks of his own in his return to the Pack, and every other Wolfpack hitter chipped in multiple hits.
Blake Carruthers paced the offense with four hits, driving in four runs, and scoring three times himself. Although the power numbers are down from last year, his .500 batting average, 1.420 OPS, and 1.000 fielding percentage prove why he is an annual favourite for the Wolfpack's annual MVP award as voted on by the players.
The Pack are back in action Wednesday, July 11th to wrap up their season series against the 11-4 Dukes.
