Greenville Opens GWOC With Big Victory

In the Green Wave's first league matchup since leaving the MML, Greenville defeated perennial powerhouse Vandalia Butler 3-2 in an 8-inning thriller at GTI Field.  

Butler would strike first in the initial inning.  Senior Nathan Barlow doubled off the wall in left field to open the game, and after a sacrifice fly by Sophomore John Myers he was able to score on a passed ball at the plate. For the next 5 innings, Butler ace and North Carolina University commit Taylore Cherry mowed down the Wave offense, striking out 10 while only allowing 2 baserunners.

In the 6th the Wave managed to mount a rally when Senior Matt Orth reached on a single with one out. Junior DH Zach Weaver would then hit a ball off the wall in left-center to score Orth to tie the game at 1-1, and brief control issues by Cherry on the mound would lead to the second Wave run to score to give them a 2-1 lead going into the top of the 7th.

After mowing down Butler hitters since the run in the first, Orth would get 2 outs in the 7th before Junior Catcher Lance Straley deposited an outside fastball into the right field parking lot to tie the game at 2-2. Greenville would fail to capitalize in the bottom of the 7th and for the first time in 2011 the Wave went into extra innings.

After a 3 up/3 down 8th on the mound, Orth led off the home half with a single which was followed up with a walk by Weaver. Junior 1B Sam Jones bunted Orth & Weaver to second and third, and after walking Junior CF Tyler Zimmerman the Aviators got an out at home on a ground ball hit to the 3rd base. With the bases loaded and 2 outs, Senior OF Robbie Detling hit a 1-2 pitch deep enough into right field to fall between the Aviator outfielders for the walkoff Greenville victory.

Greenville will head to Vandalia for a conference play rematch Wednesday night at 5:00.

Box Score
VAN: 2 - 5 - 3; By Inning: 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
GRN: 3 - 5 - 0; By Inning: 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1

Offense
Weaver: 2-3, 2 R, 2B, RBI
Orth: 2-4, R
Detling: 1-3, GW RBI

Pitching
Orth: 8 IP (W, 1-1), 5 H, 2 R, 3 K