Saltdogs Split Doubleheader with Lake Country

Lincoln, Nebraska-   After a rainout Monday, the Lincoln Saltdogs and Lake Country DockHounds played a pair of seven inning games, Tuesday, at Haymarket Park.  Lake Country scored two unearned runs in the top of the seventh and defeated Lincoln, 9-7, in game one.  However, the Saltdogs received a complete game five-hit shutout from Nate Blain, plus a solo home run from Lincoln native and former Nebraska Cornhusker, Griffin Everitt, in a 1-0 victory, in game two.

Game One:

Lake Country started the scoring in the top of the first inning.  Daunte Stuart drew a leadoff walk against Lincoln starter Karan Patel, then stole second base.  Two batters later, Luis Aviles, Jr. hit an RBI single, scoring Stuart, to make it a 1-0 DockHounds lead.

The Saltdogs responded by scoring five runs with two outs in the bottom of the first inning.  Kyle Battle singled off Lake Country starter Jacob Nix, then stole second base, and advanced to third on a wild pitch.  The next batter, Neyfy Castillo singled, scoring Battle, to make it 1-1.  Then, Yusniel Diaz singled, bringing Spencer Henson to the plate.  On the first pitch from Nix, Henson hit a three-run home run to right field, making it a 4-1 Lincoln lead.  Jack Dragum followed with a single.  Then, Connor Denning hit an RBI triple, plating Dragum, to put Lincoln ahead, 5-1.

In the top of the second, Lake Country’s Nicholas Northcutt drew a walk.  The next batter, Demetrius Sims hit a Patel 1-2 pitch out of the park for a two-run home run, making it a 5-3 game.

Lincoln got the two runs back in the bottom of the second.  Danny Bautista, Jr. led off with a single and Brody Fahr did the same, to put runners on the corners.  The next batter, Kyle Battle, hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Bautista, Jr. to make it 6-3.  Two batters later, Yusniel Diaz singled, driving home Fahr, to put Lincoln ahead, 7-3.

However, the DockHounds chipped away at the Lincoln lead.  In the top of the third, Brian Rey led off the inning by hitting the first pitch from Patel, over the fence in right field, to make it 7-4.

In the top of the fourth, Dave Matthews led off with a walk, against Lincoln reliever Dylan Castaneda.  Then, with Matthews running on an 0-1 pitch, Luis Aviles, Jr. singled, and Matthews scored all the way from first, making it 7-5.  Ryan Hernandez doubled, to put runners at second and third.  Then, Luke Roskam hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Aviles, Jr., to make it a 7-6 game.

The DockHounds tied the game in the top of the fifth inning.  Facing Lincoln reliver Matt Mullenbach, Daunte Stuart hit the first pitch of the inning, out of the park, to tie the game at 7-7.

In the top of the seventh, facing Lincoln closer, Dutch Landis, Daunte Stuart led off with a walk.  Two batters later, Luis Aviles, Jr. singled, to put runners at first and second.  After a lineout to shortstop by Ryan Hernandez, the DockHounds were down to their final out.  Tripp Clark hit a bouncer to Connor Denning at third base, which Denning did not field cleanly, and the error loaded the bases.  The next batter, Brian Rey, hit a two-rbi single, right up the middle, scoring Stuart and Aviles, Jr., to put Lake Country ahead, 9-7.

Eric Torres came on for the DockHounds in to close out the game.  Lincoln’s Neyfy Castillo drew a one-out walk, however, Torres struck out Yusniel Diaz and got Spencer Henson to ground out to second, to end the game.

Lake Country (10-5) scored nine runs off 12 hits with no errors.  Lincoln (4-12) plated seven runs with ten hits and committed two errors.

DockHounds starting pitcher Jacob Nix pitched 4.0 innings, giving up seven runs off ten hits, struck out four and walked one.  J.T. Moeller (2-0) earned the win, in relief.  He pitched 2.0 innings and struck out one.  Eric Torres earned his fifth save of the season, pitching 1.0 inning, striking out two and walking one.

Lincoln starter Karan Patel pitched 2.0 innings, giving up four runs off five hits, struck out four and walked four.  Dylan Castaneda pitched 1.2 innings, giving up two runs off three hits and walked one.  Matt Mullenbach pitched 1.1 innings, yielding one run off one hit, struck out one and walked one.  Connor Langrell pitched 1.0 inning, struck out two and walked two.  Dutch Landis (0-2) took the loss.  He pitched 1.0 inning, giving up two unearned runs off three hits.

Offensively for Lake Country, Daunte Stuart was 3-for-4 with an RBI.  Luis Aviles, Jr. was 3-for-5 and drove in two runs.  Luke Roskam was 0-for-3, with an RBI.  Brian Rey went 2-for-5 with three RBI’s and a home run.  Nicholas Northcut was 2-for-3.  Demetrius Sims was 1-for-2 with a two-run home run.

For Lincoln, Kyle Battle was 1-for-4 with an RBI.  Neyfy Castillo was 1-for-3 and drove in a run.  Yusniel Diaz was 2-for-4 with an RBI.  Spencer Henson was 1-for-3 with a three-run home run.  Jack Dragum was 2-for-3 and Connor Denning was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Game Two:

Griffin Everitt snapped a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth by hitting a 2-0 pitch off Lake Country starter Kelvin Pilot, into the DockHounds bullpen for a solo home run, which turned out to be all the scoring in the game.

Nate Blain capped off his complete game performance in the top of the seventh.  With a runner at first and two outs, Blain got Lake Country’s Aaron Hill to ground out to first base, to end the game.

Lincoln (5-12) scored one run off four hits and committed two errors.  Lake Country (10-6) had no runs off five hits with no errors.

Blain (2-1) pitched 7.0 innings, scattered five hits, and struck out one.

Lake Country’s Kelvin Pilot (0-2) took the loss, pitching 5.0 innings, giving up one off three hits, struck out six and walked four.  Jack Washburn pitched 1.0 inning and gave up one hit.

Offensively for Lincoln, Brody Fahr was 2-for-3 and Griffin Everitt was 1-for-2 with a solo home run.

Game one lasted two hours and thirty-eight minutes, while game two went one hour and 43 minutes.  The doubleheader drew 2,559.

The rubber game of the three-game series is Wednesday night at Haymarket Park.  RHP Johnny Ray (0-1, 1.29 ERA) will pitch for Lincoln, while Lake Country will go with Brett Conine (0-2, 2.60 ERA).  First pitch will be 7:05 p.m.  The game will be broadcast on KFOR 101.5 FM/1240 AM and will stream online at:  www.kfornow.com.  Live video of the game will stream at:  www.aabaseball.tv.

Wednesday night’s game is Weiner Wednesday: Sponsored by Fairbury Brand ($2 hot dogs & baseball bingo). Bark in the Park (sponsored by Raising Canes and Graduate Hotels) *people can bring their dog to the park*.  For tickets, merchandise, and promotional information, go to:  www.saltdogs.com.