Baseball’s Comeback Comes Up Short in Game 1 Against Greenville, 10-8

LEESBURG, Fla. – Suffolk baseball trailed by as many as seven, twice, pulled back, but left the game-winner at the plate to fall to Greenville, 10-8, in the first of a two-game series Thursday morning at Pat Thomas Stadium.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 10 | Greenville 8
RECORDS: Suffolk (4-4) | Greenville (3-8-1)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 5-0 in the middle of the first Suffolk looked to make up ground in the bottom of the second when Steven Shamnoski brought a run in a single to center field.  

After a scoreless third, the Panthers pushed their advantage seven, 8-1. A pair of Rams runs came in the fifth to help cut down the distance. With two dead and the bases filled, Tim Brigham doubled down the left field line to cut the deficit to five.  

Greenville's bats kept going and restored a seven-run cushion in the top of the sixth. Another comeback by the blue-and-gold came with two outs in the home half of the inning. Shamnoski started the rally with a one out double down the left field line. Following the second out of the inning, Shamonski traded spots from second to home after back-to-back wild pitches. The Panthers' pitchers allowed the Rams to stay in the thick of things with runs scoring on a wild pitch and passed ball and the fourth run of the frame coming on a throwing error by third baseman Drew Frey. That scoring frenzy pulled Suffolk within three, 10-7.  

Reliever Ryan Garton kept the distance there as he retired the side.   

Jaxen Gibson looked to do for the same for the Panthers and did away with the first two Rams' batters quickly. It was Luke Harder that sparked Suffolk once again as the freshman sent a solo shot down the right field line to trim matters to two. Logan Heckman drew a walk to keep things going and Nik San Antonio put the tying run on first with a single up the middle. Those runners were stranded there though Rich Gilbride lined out to centerfield for Greenville to take the 10-8 decision.   

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Michael Muscarella dipped to 1-1 on the season after giving up eight runs on 11 hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 3.2 innings.
• Garton tossed 3.1 innings of relief and allowed two runs on one hit and one walk with three Ks. 
• Logan Murphy earned the win for the Panthers behind a seven-run, five-earned, six-hit, four-walk, two-punchout performance over 5.2 innings. 
• Gibson secured the save with a one-run, two-hit, two-walk, two-K effort in 1.1 innings.   

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• All eight of Suffolk's hits came from four batters, who each chipped in two apiece: Brigham, Harder, San Antonio and Shamnoski. 
• Both of Brigham's hits was a double. The designated hitter brought in two runs and scored one himself. 
• Shamnoski also had a double to go along with one run scored. 
• Harder scored twice and had one RBI. 
• San Antonio scored twice. 
• Gilbride and Heckman each came home once.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Greenville met for the first time. 
• Harder hit his first collegiate homer and was the first Ram to go yard this season. 
• Shamnoski knocked a double for the third time in his career. 
• Brigham matched a personal-best two doubles. 
• Harder set career highs in hits (2) and runs scored (2). 
• San Anotnio matched a personal-best two hits.  

POST-GAME PIC

COMING UP
Suffolk closes out the twinbill with the Panthers this afternoon.