Anthony Doria
Monday, July 22, 2024
The Tri-State Coal Cats returned to Huntington to square off against the Elizabethton River Riders in a two-game series. The River Riders came in at 14-20 and The Coal Cats were 14-21, as both teams looked to get their 15th victory of the year.
Game One on Tuesday saw the Cats take a hard-fought 4-3 victory. Despite an early bases-loaded jam in the first inning, the River Riders and Coal Cats were locked in a pitchers’ duel until the 4th inning. The River Riders got out to a three-run lead with a pair of RBI extra-base hits by James Woody and Nick Hockemeyer, along with a sac fly for Carlos Irizarry.
After scoring a run in the fifth inning, Tri-State finally took advantage of Elizabethton pitcher,
Spencer Powell for a three-run frame in the seventh. The scoring was sparked by a pair of RBI
walks, giving the Cats a 4-3 lead. Despite struggles from starting pitcher Jack Brooker, Evan
Holewinski and David Stich shut down the River Riders for four scoreless, allowing the Coal
Cats to earn their 15th win of the year.
Following the win, Manager Tommy Gregg remarked, “Our pitching usually keeps us in the
game. Sometimes just competing is what you want to do.”
The Coal Cats showed their pitching strengths as they battled back for a tough win, which
brought them to five wins in their last six games.
The Tri-State Coal Cats returned to Huntington to square off against the Elizabethton River
Riders in the second game of the two-game series. The River Riders came in at 14-21 and the
Coal Cats were 15-21, as the Coal Cats looked to get the sweep.
Game 2 saw a dominating win for the Coal Cats as they took a convincing 12-2 win over the
River Riders. The scoring started early as the Coal Cats put up a three-run frame in the first
inning, with RBIs from Logan Poteet, Ryan Limerick, and Matt Ilgenfritz. After a couple of runs
by the River Riders, The Coal Cats tallied a 7-run inning in the 4th. It was a great performance
by Logan Poteet, Ryan Limerick, and Matt Ilgenfrtiz, who all had multiple RBIs.
The Coal Cats had an impressive day on the mound, as Joshua Paulina, Kenny Jackson, and
Ben Rabatin, gave up no hits until the sixth and only allowed two hits total.
“Paulina didn’t have his best stuff tonight, but he competed, got outs when he needed to,”
remarked Manager Tommy Gregg about starting pitcher Joshua Paulina. “Whatever I said last night, it was just reverse psychology about not hitting here.”
The Coal Cats’ bats finally got unleashed with their 17 hits Tuesday night in their big win.
The Coal Cats ended their homestand with a sweep, bringing their win total to 16. They now
travel to Danville to take on the first-place Otterbots, looking to extend their three-game win
streak.