SwampDogs Walk off on RedWolves, 4-3

Updated July 22 2017
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.

Just 24 hours ago the Florence RedWolves were on the other side of a walk off victory, but the Fayetteville SwampDogs capitalize on two walks and a game-winning single to beat the RedWolves 4-3 Saturday night in The Swamp at J.P. Riddle Stadium.

Clay Casey and Logan McRae both go deep for the Florence RedWolves (21-20, 7-7), but the home runs would not be enough for the away team on Saturday night falling to cross-divisional foe, the Fayetteville SwampDogs (27-16, 9-6).

In a 3-3 tie game going into the bottom of the ninth inning, Fayetteville sent the heart of the lineup to the plate to face Blake Whiting (0-1) in his first inning of work. Whiting got off to a good start with a strikeout of Jameel Edney, but the next three batters did him and the RedWolves in.

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Matt Morrow drew a walk capping off a 3-for-4 night including two doubles. Behind him, Jayson Newman walked as well, his fourth of the game. Jonathan Allen then stepped up and hit a single to right field that rolled just slow enough for Tanner Mann-Fix’s throw to be just late to the plate, as Allen drove in Morrow for the winning run.

Florence trailed the SwampDogs 2-0 going into the top of the fourth inning after Fayetteville scored twice in the bottom of the third on two RBI singles.

With one out in the SwampDogs half of the third, Edney led the charge with a base hit to right. Morrow then sent a double down the left field line to score Edney from first to take a 1-0 lead. Newman walked behind him and following a strikeout, Trent Franson singled to right field as well that scored Morrow to give Fayetteville the 2-0 lead.

The lead did not last long for the SwampDogs however, as Clay Casey belted the first pitch he saw from Evan Flohr (5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO) high over the right field wall to bring the RedWolves within a run, 2-1. With two outs in the inning, Logan McRae blasted his second home run in as many games high and far over the double wall in left field to tie the game 2-2.

Fayetteville got a third run in their half of the fourth inning on two hits and an error. Michael Farnell led off on a single to right field. TJ Clark (6.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO), Florence’s starter, attempted a pickoff, but the throw missed the mark trickling into right field which allowed Farnell to move to third on the error. Jay Robinson then drove Farnell in on a base hit up the middle to take a 3-2 lead.

The RedWolves did find the means to tie the game again in the top of the eighth. The SwampDogs moved their first baseman Newman to the mound and he plunked Casey with the first pitch in relief. Mann-Fix drew a walk behind him and both runners were advanced to scoring positon after a Riley King sacrifice bunt. McRae stood in and grounded out to second base, but picked up the RBI in the process, tying the game at three all.

Jalen Latta came in to work an inning and two-thirds for the RedWolves and did not allow a run, but two hits a walk and three strikeouts.

Fayetteville’s Zach Neff (6-0) entered the game for just one out in the ninth, as he got Zach Jacobs to pop out foul to end the inning, while he picked up the (vulture) win coming off of the walk off.

Florence will be on the road again Sunday as they’ll travel to Martinsville to take on the Mustangs. Visit www.florenceredwolves.com for more information and tickets.

- RedWolves -

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