Wilmington holds Lynchburg to three hits

By Chris Lang
Sports writer
Published: April 11, 2008

Brian Friday offers a plausible explanation for the Hillcats’ early-season hitting troubles.
“For a lot of us, it’s a step up in competition,” Friday said after Lynchburg’s home-opening 2-0 loss to Wilmington on Friday night at City Stadium. “A lot of us have started off rough.”
The Hillcats tied a season-low with three hits, and a dazzling display of infield defense went for naught. Lynchburg (2-5) turned a team-record six double plays, five in the infield and one of the strikeout-caught stealing variety to end the third inning.
It didn’t matter. After putting two on with one out in the first inning, the Hillcats didn’t advance a runner to second base until the ninth.
Lynchburg’s team batting average dropped to .204, and the Hillcats were shut out for the third time in seven games.
The Hillcats’ youth should be noted, however. Of the 13 batters on the active roster, only four — Angel Gonzalez, Tony Mansolino, Steve Lerud and Greg Picart — had played at the high-A level before this season. Friday skipped low-A Hickory after playing for the Pirates’ short-season low-A affiliate in Williamsport, Pa., last summer.
“We’re not pressing by any means,” Hillcats manager Jeff Branson said. “It’s a process of guys being just confident when they go to the plate. It’s early, and we’re expressing to them right now that you can’t panic. You have to stick to your approach.”
That approach was somewhat faulty Friday against Wilmington starter Everett Teaford, who was 6-8 with a 4.68 ERA a year ago for the Royals’ low-A club in Burlington, Iowa. Too many Hillcats tried to pull the ball against the lefthander, leading to outs early in counts. Teaford retired 14 in a row at one point.
“We didn’t get many base runners against guys who aren’t really strikeout pitchers,” Friday said. “In that respect, our approach really wasn’t very good.”
Jared Hughes (0-2) pitched adequately for the Hillcats, allowing two earned runs on four hits in six innings. He walked five, but his infielders gave him a boost. Friday was involved in three of the double plays, including one in the seventh inning that got the Hillcats out of a bases-loaded jam.
“He trusted his defense behind him and let them work,” Branson said. “I’m really, really excited about our defense. Yeah, we’ve made some errors. Errors are going to happen. But what you saw out there tonight was guys that are confident in themselves, and our pitchers are confident in our defense to make plays for them.”
Wilmington (3-5) took a 1-0 lead on Brett Bigler’s single in the third inning. He lined a shot up the middle, and it glanced off Hughes’ glove before falling just out of reach of the second baseman Gonzalez. Kurt Mertins, who led off the inning with a walk and stole second, motored home for the first run.
Joe Dickerson’s RBI single in the fourth scored Chris McConnell and put the Blue Rocks up 2-0.
Despite the team’s offensive struggles, Branson is happy with the effort his pitchers have given. Though the Hillcats have lost five of their first seven, Lynchburg’s staff has a 2.52 ERA. Only one of the losses has been by more than two runs.
“I think we have a solid team,” Branson said. “It’s just a matter of time before we start hitting. Our pitching has been outstanding. They’ve kept us in every game. I think that’ll be the case most of the year.”
BASE HITS: Lynchburg went 3-16 against Wilmington last season. … Lerud led all Carolina League catchers last season in caught-stealing percentage, and he threw out two of three Wilmington runners attempting to steal bases Friday. … Friday’s game was Lynchburg’s shortest of the season (1:56), and was witnessed by 4,126 fans.