The Dirtbags Beat The Marietta Hurricanes 7-3

The East Cobb Dirtbags took to the batter's box as visitors in this pool game against the Marietta Hurricanes. Tyler Heinrichs managed to rope a single up the middle and steal second, but the Dirtbags could not pick up a run. Starter Jonathan McKinney settled in after two runs scored and ended the inning out nicely.

Down 2-0 in the top of the second, Kyle Armitage led off by drawing a walk and Michael Carlino got plunked in the back to put two runners on for a huge double by Michael Templeton, which scored one. Ryan Uffner hit a single and Jonathan McKinney ripped another hit to even the score at 2-2. With a nice sacrifice, Mark Ankerholz gave the Dirtbags their first lead of the game, 3-2.  McKinney took the ball and blew away the Hurricanes to end the second inning.

In the top of the third, Brian Morgan, Kyle Armitage and Michael Carlino started up a two-out rally with nice at bats and loaded the bases, but unfortunately no runs were converted. The Hurricanes battled and scrapped and added a run to even the game at 3-3.

Leading off in the top of the fourth, Ryan Uffner cranked another single and Mark Ankerholz added a runner for a two-RBI double by Jak Keller to take the lead to 5-3. Dirtbag lefty came Pierce Smith came into the game in relief and sat down the Hurricanes efficiently and ended the fourth inning with a 5-3 lead.

Starting up the fifth inning, James Pittinger lined a shot and made his way to third to be set up for a nice sacrifice by Taylor Giles to extend the lead to 6-3. Again easily handling the Hurricanes with two strikeouts and three quick outs, Pierce Smith ended the inning by preserving the 6-3 lead after five innings.

The Dirtbags could not extend the lead despite getting two base runners, but no worries as Smith took to the mound and again blanked the Hurricanes to take a 6-3 lead into the final inning.

James Pittinger cranked a double to start up the seventh inning but a tough call at third sent him packing. Michael Carlino drew a walk, and with a steal was on second base for Taylor Giles’ huge hit to score Carlino and extend the lead to 7-3 going into the bottom of the final inning. Coach Vidic handed the ball to Dirtbag closer Tyler Ross, who blew down the Hurricanes in order and sealed the 7-3 win for the Dirtbags.

Dirtbags Tie Sandy Plains Wildcats In A Wild Game

The Dirtbags lost the toss in the second game of their Friday night double-header and went to bat against the Sandy Plains Wildcats. Davis True led off the hitting with a nice single and a steal to be set up for Dirtbag slugger Tyler Heinrichs, who blasted a shot to centerfield to score the first run of the game. Batting cleanup, James Pittinger scored Heinrichs with a nice hit and the Dirtbags left the top of the first with a 2-0 lead. Big lefty Ian Flinn took the mound as the starting pitcher and, after taking a few batters to find the strike zone, he settled in and held the Wildcats to only one run on a wild pitch.

Up 2-1, Kyle Armitage plunked a single and was followed on base by Michael Carlino (walk), but the Dirtbags could not convert. Flinn dominated the inning with four strikeouts (a runner made his way to base on a dropped third strike) as he had now clearly found his groove and ended the second inning in style.

In the top of the third, Tyler Heinrichs plunked a single (but was picked off) and James Pittinger blasted a double, but again the Dirtbags could not convert the runners and the game remained a one run affair at 2-1. Ian Flinn had another nice inning, allowing only one run on a very close call.

Now tied at 2-2 in the top if the fourth, Taylor Giles ripped a single and was advanced to third by another blast by Kyle Armitage. Finally converting a runner in scoring position for the Dirtbags, Stone Richardson pounded a shot down the third base line to get lead back at 3-2. Unfortunately, that was all the Dirtbags could muster and they handed the ball back to Flinn. The Wildcats got to Flinn a bit in the inning, scoring a couple of runs, and then two dropped third strikes led to two more runs and a 6-3 lead in favor of the Wildcats going into the fifth inning.

The Dirtbags came to play and roared back to take the lead behind disciplined batting by Ryan Uffner and Jonathan McKinney, who were set up for a run-scoring hit by Taylor Giles. Good at bats by Michael Templeton and others added three more runs and gave the Dirtbags a tenuous one run lead, 7-6, going into the bottom of the final inning. The Wildcats, in turn, battled back to tie the game with one out. A strikeout and an intentional walk put runners on first and second with two outs as Dirtbag closer Tyler Ross sealed the tie with a hard hit liner tracked down by Tyler Heinrichs for the final out. The Dirtbags will take the tie in this pool play game and remain undefeated with a 1-0-1 record.

GO DIRTBAGS!!!!!!!