By: Evan Rogers

WILSON, N.C. — In wire-to-win fashion, the Holly Springs Salamanders (9-5) blew out the Wilson Tobs (10-6), 17-5, Thursday night at Fleming Stadium.  

From the first pitch, Holly Springs looked to assert its dominance. After consecutive singles by outfielders Brett Callahan and Nate Carriere, third baseman Eddie Eisert drove home the Salamanders’ first run. 

But, Holly Springs was just getting started. In the same frame, a two-run moonshot to left field by shortstop Luke Heefner highlighted a four-run first inning for the Salamanders.

Despite surrendering a run to Wilson in the bottom half of the same inning, Holly Springs’ bats remained hot in the next frame. 

First, Callahan lined his second lead-off single of the game before Eisert sank an RBI single into shallow right field. Moments later, a sacrifice groundout by catcher Jacob Godman and a fielding error by Wilson increased the Salamanders’ advantage to 7-1. 

Both teams remained hot at the plate, as the Tobs and Salamanders exchanged one-run frames for the following one and a half innings. By the end of the third inning, Holly Springs held a five-point lead. 

In the top of the sixth inning, the Salamanders loaded the bases with no outs behind a single from Heefner. And during designated hitter Will Stewart’s at-bat, a pair of wild pitches drove home two runs before Stewart’s RBI double to right-center field scored Holly Springs its third run of the inning.

One inning later, a pair of doubles from Stewart and pinch hitter Gavin Troutman helped plate five runs for the Salamanders, propelling Holly Springs to a 17-5 win. 

On a night where the Salamanders received hits from eight different batters, Eisert and Stewart led the way. The duo combined for seven RBIs, with Stewart tallying doubles in back-to-back innings. 

The Salamanders will play their second straight game against the Tobs on Friday at Ting Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.