Bolts Lose Opener to Evansville
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CRESTWOOD, IL – The Evansville Otters scored two runs in the top of the first inning and never trailed as they handed the ThunderBolts a third straight defeat, 6-1 at Ozinga Field Friday night.
Evansville (41-27) got on the board with two outs in the first. They put two runners on with singles from Amani Jones and Logan Brown and Blake Robertson doubled them both in.
In the bottom of the inning, the Bolts (33-36) responded. Liam McArthur drew a walk and Jared Beebe doubled him home, cutting the deficit in half.
That was as close as the Bolts would come. They managed only three hits the rest of the evening off of four Evansville pitchers.
The Otters added to their lead in the top of the third. Marcos Gonzalez hit a double and Blake Robertson was hit by a pitch. With two outs in the inning, Chris Kwitzer and TJ Salvagio hit RBI singles to make it 4-1.
Kwitzer put the game away in the seventh inning, hitting a two-run homer that gave the Otters their 6-1 lead.
McArthur and James Dunlap both reached base three times for the ThunderBolts but they managed to get only one runner as far as third base over the final eight innings.
Nolan Thebiay (7-3) picked up the win in relief for Evansville, throwing three hitless innings. Tyler Biddinger (2-2) gave up four runs over four innings and took the loss.
The ThunderBolts and Otters play two games in a day/night doubleheader on Saturday with both games scheduled for nine innings. The afternoon contest is slated for a 1:05 first pitch with Ramon Rodriguez (0-1, 6.75) on the mound for the Bolts against Evansville’s Garret Simpson (6-1, 4.43). It’s Illinois National Guard Honor Day at Ozinga Field with a pint glass giveaway from Lakeshore Beverage and a can koozie giveaway from JULIE. Hot dogs and popcorn are just $2.00 each. Broadast details can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.
