sfoggi posted on June 07, 2011 19:49
SANFORD, Fla. (June 7, 2011) – Pinch-hitter Chris Pagliarulo (Boston College) knocked in the winning run in the top of the ninth with two outs to lift the Winter Haven Loggerheads, 5-4, past the Sanford River Rats on Tuesday night at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium.
With the win, Winter Haven improves to 2-2 on the season, while the Sanford River Rats drop to 1-3 in the young season.
In the top of the ninth with the scored tied at 4-all, designated hitter Garrett Horan (Dickinson College) led off the inning with a single. Horan was then replaced by pinch runner Drew Leonard (Millsaps College), who later scored the winning run. Leonard advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and then moved over to third on a Sanford wild pitch. Pagliarulo drove in Leonard on a single up the middle.
Winter Haven and Sanford kept a close game throughout much of the night as the Loggerheads outhit their opponent 15-7. Winter Haven took advantage of the two Sanford defensive miscues scoring two runs, one in the third and the other in the sixth.
The Loggerheads were quick to jump on the board scoring in the opening frame as shortstop Michael Heller (Florida) scored on a Sam Halpern (Barry) sacrifice fly. Despite great pitching from Sanford starter Taylor Smith (Rollins College), who received the no decision in five innings of work and a game-high seven strikeouts, the Loggerheads were able to sneak away with another two runs in the third and fourth innings.
With the Loggerheads leading 3-2 in the fourth, Sanford scored a run in the fifth and tied the score in the sixth at four runs apiece. River Rats third baseman Pat Fortunato (Rhode Island) scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly.
Each of the team’s defense would not miss a beat as each team went scoreless in the following two innings before Winter Haven took the win late in the ninth.
Loggerheads starter Bryan Poland (Benedictine College) would receive the no decision after five complete innings of work and four punch-outs, but it would be right-handed reliever Jonathan Hall (Trinity) that would get the winning nod pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Closer Ryan Heuler (Wake Forest) picked up his first save of the season as well.
Leading Winter Haven offensively was Kevin Clements (Trinity) and Kyle Campbell (Stetson) with three hits and a run scored apiece, with Clements adding an RBI and Campbell a stolen base.
Blake Boyd (Nova Southeastern) and Johnny Mazur (Florida Tech) led the Sanford River Rats with two hits each. Closer Robert Stegbauer (Lincoln Memorial) would take the loss for the Rats in one inning of work, giving up the wining run.
The Loggerheads will return to Chain of Lakes Field on Wednesday, June 8 as Winter Haven hosts Sanford at 7 p.m.