After a rainy Memorial Day weekend, the Holly Springs Salamanders were finally able to hit the field at Ting Park on Monday for their first home game of the season. The Salamanders fell to the Morehead City Marlins 7-2 in the Memorial Day matchup.
The 5:00 game was off to a strong defensive start for Holly Springs. Starting pitcher Ryan Turbeville pitched three up, three down in the top of the first. First baseman Joshua Kross had the first hit of the game, but the Salamanders failed to score in the first. Despite an error and loaded bases in the top of the second, the Marlins didn’t put up a run. The game remained scoreless after two, with the only offensive action in the bottom of the second coming from a single by second baseman Jordan Ardoin.
Morehead City got the bats moving in the third inning, putting up three runs to take the lead. Catcher Michael Quinones hit a single in the bottom of the inning, but Holly Springs was unable to lessen its deficit. The Marlins capitalized on their momentum in the fourth with two more hits and another run to make the score 4-0. The Salamanders batted three up, three down to end the inning.
The top of the fifth resulted in a pitching change for Holly Springs to LHP Jacob Coffin, but the Marlins’ bats stayed hot, producing two more hits and another run. The Salamanders had no hits or runs in the fifth for a 5-0 deficit after five. Coffin pitched three up, three down in the sixth to shut down Morehead City’s offense. Holly Springs had three consecutive putouts in the bottom of the sixth.
Another pitching change brought Matthew Driver to the mound in the seventh. Driver didn’t allow any hits or runs. The Salamanders batted three up, three down to end the inning. The Marlins started finding offensive success again in the eighth, putting up three hits and two runs for a 7-0 lead. Center fielder Mika Peterson had a hit for Holly Springs in the eighth inning, but the team remained scoreless.
Jordan Brewer finished out pitching for the Salamanders, pitching three up, three down. An error and a two-run home run from Ardoin put the Salamanders on the scoreboard for a 7-2 final score.
After a few days off, the Salamanders will hit the road for away games at the Wilson Tobs and Forest City Owls before returning home on Sunday to face off against the Tobs.