Knights prevail in pitchers’ duel, beat Clams 2-1
The Edenton Steamers and Greenbrier Knights battled through a pitchers’ duel at Historic Hicks Field on Thursday with the Knights winning 2-1. The loss moved the Steamers to 18-15 overall and 11-10 in the PCL East division.
Lefthander Clark Dearman took the mound for the Clams and had his most impressive start of the season. Through seven innings, he struck out 10 batters while allowing two hits and only one unearned run.
The Steamers sole run came in the second inning. Third baseman Joe Haney laid down an impeccable bunt to start the inning and get a runner on. Center fielder Aaron Copeland grounded to shortstop and an error put two runners on with nobody out.
Second baseman Casey Haire lined out to center field which moved Haney to third base with just one out. A hard hit ground ball bounced off the Knights’ pitcher Vincent Bashara’s glove and to Thomas Crandall at shortstop. Crandall threw over to first to get Pernetti but Haney came home to score to give the Steamers a 1-0 lead.
The Knights got on the board in the fifth inning. Right fielder Zach Coldsnow led off the inning with a single and an error put Carter Johnson on base before the Steamers recorded an out. The pair stole bases to put two runners in scoring position for Myles Webb.
Webb grounded out to bring Coldsnow home and tie the game at one. Dearman bore down, striking out Crandall and getting Trent Hanchey to ground out to end the inning.
The two starting pitchers combined to pitch 12 innings, allowing only two unearned runs, four hits and striking out 14. Neither factored into the decision but moved the game along quickly.
Lefthander Ben Coffman relieved Dearman to start the 8th inning. Hanchey, who entered the night hitting .444 against the Steamers this season, doubled to leadoff the inning. A well placed groundout to first base from Max Lucas pushed Hanchey to third.
All-Star slugger Jose Cazorla was intentionally walked to put runners on the corners with just one out. Knights’ catcher Jordan Daddio grounded a ball to Haire to bring home Hanchey and an error by Haire let Daddio onto base. Minjae Hong stepped up to the plate and served a single to left field to load up the bases.
Aiden Kuhle relieved Coffman and inherited the loaded bases with only one out. The righthander struck out Coldsnow and induced a groundout from Jacob Jackson to get out of the inning with the Steamers only trailing by one.
The last chance for the Clams in the bottom of the ninth inning started with a walk to Hunter Cole. Greenbrier’s Aiden Foley locked things up, getting a flyout and a pair of strikeouts to end the game.
The loss dropped the Steamers to three games behind the Tarboro River Bandits in the PCL East division standings. Tarboro can clinch the division with a win against the Steamers on Saturday night. The game begins at 7:00pm and gates open at 6:00pm.