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Squirrels win World Series opener
NEWARK, OHIO -- The Charleston Fighting Squirrels got off on the right foot on Friday night by winning their first game in the 2008 Senior Babe Ruth World Series against the host team Licking County, Ohio 8-5.
"For having nerves like we did I thought we played pretty well," Squirrels head coach Michael Minner said. "We had opportunities early in the game but we couldn't put one across. But finally we started swinging the bats and we did a better job of being patient in the later innings."
Charleston sounded off with seven runs throughout the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to pretty much put the game out of reach for Licking County.
The fifth inning was highlighted by a Blake Gaddis two-run home run that scored Colin Gilooly who had walked in the previous at-bat.
"When Gaddis hit his home run, from there on it kind of calmed us down at the plate," said Minner.
Jarryd Smith kept the rally going by knocking in two runs in the sixth inning after he singled to bring in Tyler Whybark and Chase McClendon to make it a 5-3 game.
The Squirrels added three more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Zach Rowland and McClendon connected for RBI singles. Rowland scored Gilooly while McClendon brought home Mark Freed and Garrison Eastman.
Squirrels pitcher Steven Dooley started and finished on the hill completing all seven innings. He allowed four earned runs on six hits and six walks. Dooley also struck out eight in the contest.
"He kind of struggled with zone," Minner said. "But he battled all night and got the job done for us."
McClendon and Smith both had two hits and two RBIs to lead the Squirrels at the plate. Gilooly crossed the plate twice and reached base four times with a single, double, a walk and a reached on error. Freed also had two hits and two runs while Gaddis and Rowland each added one hit a piece.
The Squirrels next game was against Modesto, Calif., on Saturday. Results from that game will be in the Monday edition of the Standard Democrat.